Mt Carbine tungsten mine set to employ 100-plus workers

A highly promising critical minerals mine northwest of Cairns took a big leap forward with a federal government grant – and it intends to triple its workforce.

MORE than 100 jobs at a mine just 130km from Cairns will be on offer with an emerging tungsten operation taking a leap forward with a $6m federal government grant underscoring its role in building a critical minerals industry.

EQ Resources chief executive Kevin MacNeill said more than 100 jobs would be on offer as the mine ramped up to full production, with an emphasis on employing locals.

“Today we employ around 50 people but our plan is to grow that workforce closer to 150 as our expansion plans play out,” Mr MacNeill said.

“Many of those new workers will be women – female share of the current workforce is today more than 30 per cent and growing.

“Our recent advertising for unskilled workers has been a great success,” he said.

“EQ Resources has been surprised and delighted at the quality of people who have applied to work at Mt Carbine.”

Mr MacNeill said the ASX-listed company invested in training workers to use heavy equipment with an emphasis on safety.

“As tourism has suffered from the effects of the pandemic, we have been able to offer an alternative to hospitality and tourism as a career,” he said.

There are more jobs on the horizon in the region with a repurposed open cut gold mine west of Cairns set to deliver a jobs boom as major earth, electrical and mechanical works hit top gear following a construction start of the Kidston pumped hydro project’s upper reservoir.

Tungsten is one of the hardest elements on earth, used in aerospace, construction and technology, with much of the market controlled by China.

EQ Resources chief executive Kevin MacNeill says there is potentially $3b in tungsten at the Mt Carbine mine, which is the only producing tungsten mine in Australia. Picture: Bronwyn Farr.

Mr MacNeill said the funding was an endorsement of the project’s potential to become a strategically significant Australian producer of critical minerals within the near term.

A large scale tungsten operation using low grade historic mine waste and high grade resources identified in an open pit is planned.

With two partners, EQ Resources has invested $20m to date and released a Bankable Feasibility Study last December.

Announcing $42m funding for three mines including Mt Carbine, Federal Resources Minister Keith Pitt said Australia had extraordinary reserves of critical minerals crucial to many industries, including medical equipment, defence, aerospace, automotive, new batteries and agritech.

“This initiative will help uncover new sources of supply, moving up the value chain of critical minerals through processing and high-technology manufacturing, supporting robust supply chains, and creating high-paying regional jobs for Australians while improving Australia’s export resilience,” Mr Pitt said.

Some 50 locals have been employed at EQ Resources tungsten mine at Mt Carbine and that figure will increase. Picture: Bronwyn Farr.

Mr MacNeill said mining at Mt Carbine began more than 100 years ago but when the price of tungsten nosedived, mining ceased in 1985.

He said technological advances in recent years created the opportunity to drive down processing costs at the same time as the global price of tungsten was rising.

Rock waste is being put to use in construction and repairs at places including Newell Beach.

The mine has a 12 year project life with potential for underground mining after year four.

Tungsten would be transported to Townsville, where a $1.7bn Copperstring transmission line project to connect the minerals rich northwest region with the national electricity grid is underway.

Originally published as Mt Carbine tungsten mine set to employ 100-plus workers