Where the future lies for the Isa smelter

More alternative sources of copper concentrate are being sought to help shore up one of the key mining assets in north-west Queensland. The State Government is putting up a $30 million package to promote resources production over five years. Maintenance works rebricking the MIM copper smelter The package follows Glencore Mount Isa Mine's (MIM) decision announced yesterday to rationalise its copper operations. Black Rock, X-41 and Enterprise mines and the concentrator will close in the second half of 2025 with the loss of around 1200 jobs. Related: Fresh mining investment a must says QRC Treasurer Cameron Dick stepped in yesterday to announce a stimulus aimed at accelerating the extraction of copper and other minerals in the Mount Isa region. The smelter process removes waste or gangue as it is also known and dresses the concentrate to around 99 per cent metal. It is then railed to Townsville and refined to around 99.92 per cent metal which is the standard for industrial use. Acid production Reduced rates of concentrate in the smelter will do more than make it less efficient. Sulphur captured in the process is made into sulphuric acid in a nearby plant on the lease north of Mount Isa city. IPL's Phosphate Hill operation in north-west Queensland This is then sold, principally to Incitec Pivot Limited (IPL) which has a phosphate operation near Dajarra south of Mount Isa. Reduced copper production means more sulphuric acid needs to be imported at greater cost. Acid is also earmarked for processing in the emerging critical minerals sector. Toll Milling Ernest Henry mine, based north of Cloncurry, was a Glencore asset until the purchase by Evolution Mining in late 2021 and is among the largest contractors of MIM's refining operations in an arrangement known as toll milling. Other regional sites sending material to the smelter include Capricorn Copper and the Eloise mine. Mount Isa Mines has been actively sourcing other third-party feedstock for the smelter. Related: Harmony passes 28,000m drilled at Eva copper project Prospects for the smelter include the Barbara and Mount Colin projects which are in a portfolio of assets acquired by Aeris Resources in a $234 million take-over from Round Oak Minerals last year. Barbara is being considered for re-opening after an intense and short mining campaign by Round Oak. Aeris Resources executive chairman, Andre Labuschagne has hailed the recent in-fill drilling campaign at Barbara as a great success. Related: Aeris takes fresh look at Barbara after takeover “Not only have the ore tonnes and contained copper and gold increased, but importantly, the majority of the resource (89 per cent) is now classified as indicated,” he said. “Barbara is on a current mining lease and the metallurgy is well understood from when the deposit was previously mined as an open-pit. Round Oak began mining Barbara around 60km north east of the city around March 2019 hauling the ore via the Barkly Highway. The mine was put into care and maintenance after a short and intense campaign. Back to the rescue package and another $20 million — hoped to be matched dollar-for-dollar by Glencore— is earmarked for an economic structural adjustment package for Mount Isa and the North West.

Where the future lies for the Isa smelter

Industry Queensland

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