EQ Resources aims to create a hub for the critical metals of tin and tungsten, using its Mount Carbine processing infrastructure to help bring further Far North Queensland projects online.

The tungsten producer is in discussions with other companies who could be part of a minerals cluster, according to EQ Resources chief executive officer Kevin MacNeill.

It is also carrying out regional exploration work on its own tenements and is keen to bid on the mothballed Wolfram Camp site which the State Government has opened to expressions of interest for potential re-commercialisation.

“Australia has great tungsten resources, but they’re difficult to develop because they tend to be narrow veins and difficult to mine,” Mr MacNeill said.

“But if you have a hub and a processing facility in the area, then it becomes economic.”

Far North Queensland is home to a raft of tungsten and tin projects including the abandoned Wolfram Camp mine, 16km north-west of Dimbulah and Tungsten Mining’s Watershed project. Dover Castle Metals also has tin and tungsten ground in the region.  

EQ Resources yesterday released an updated bankable feasibility study for its Mount Carbine expansion project which includes a return to open-pit mining at the site, about 120km north-west of Cairns.

Early works have seen it upgrade re sorting and processing facilities at Mount Carbine, where it is producing tungsten concentrate from low-grade ore stockpiles.

“We have finished our phase one expansion and we’ve started on our phase two,” Mr MacNeill said.

“We’ve already put certain components of phase two in that help us with our production currently.”

The company is awaiting approval for an amendment to its environmental authority at Mount Carbine to kick off open-pit mining.

Mr MacNeill said mining contractor Golding would be recruiting for a workforce of about 60-70 for those operations.

He said Mount Carbine drew workers from the Port Douglas, Mareeba, Mossman and Julatten areas.

“We have a policy of hiring local because we are trying to avoid camp, we’re trying to get people to stay in their homes and work at the mine as one of our attractions,” Mr MacNeill.

“We’re working very hard to do that. It’s not easy as with the price of fuel and everything. So we’re trying to put some buses in place and and truck people in and out.”