The Mount Garnet Mine is an historical and intermittently operated polymetallic operation located about 100km south-west of Cairns within the Herberton mineral field.

The site has a long history of mining dating back to the late 1800s, when copper and silver were first discovered, helping establish the township of Mount Garnet as a regional mining centre.

The modern operation has focused on extracting copper, zinc, lead and silver, with both open-cut and underground mining methods used over time.

More recent developments included an underground mine utilising sub-level open stoping, along with a central processing plant capable of treating ore from Mount Garnet and nearby deposits such as Balcooma and Mungana.

The mine was operated by Aurora Metals, which went into liquidation in March 2024, leading to the abandonment of the site and its entry into the Queensland government’s Abandoned Mine Lands Program.

Previously, the mine was owned/operated by Consolidated Tin Mines and Snow Peak Mining.

The Mount Garnet Mine forms part of a broader mineralised district that has produced tin, copper, zinc and other metals for over a century.

Today, it remains a significant historic and prospective base-metal asset in North Queensland, with potential for future redevelopment depending on market conditions and investment.