Copper project expansion approved in North Queensland

The lease to expand a North Queensland copper and gold mine has been approved, which will support hundreds of jobs and extend the mine’s life by a decade.

A copper and gold mine expansion has been approved near Cloncurry in the McKinlay Shire.

The lease to expand a North Queensland copper and gold mine has been approved, which will support hundreds of jobs and extend the mine’s life by a decade.

AIC Mines Limited will be able to expand its Eloise Copper processing plant and extend into its nearby Jericho mine which would increase the production rate by 20,000 tonnes of copper and 10,000 ounces of gold each year.

The operations are in the McKinlay Shire but 60km south east of Cloncurry, and currently employs 195 full time roles and 73 contractors.

More than half of its fly in fly out workers live in Townsville while most of the reminder live in Brisbane and Cairns.

AIC Mines’ managing director Aaron Colleran said the expansion would employee 150 people in the two year construction phase, with another 100 permanent employees during production.

A map of the AIC tenements at Eloise Copper Mine about 60km south east of Cloncurry.

The company received the Jericho copper deposit in January last year, which is four kilometres away from the Eloise Copper processing plant.

A company report dated last month said it would be possible to access Jericho from a direct route underground from Eloise, but would require 3.6km of underground development.

Such a project would “transform Eloise into a true cornerstone for AIC Mines” and reduce mining costs because of access to shallow ore.

The Eloise and Jericho sites and significant locations within the area.

“To have the mining lease granted after only 15 months of ownership is testament to the quality of the project, the work ethic of the AIC Mines team, and importantly, the consistent and well-understood Queensland mining approvals process,” Mr Colleran said.

“The world needs more copper as we transition away from fossil fuels and AIC Mines is focused on delivering on that demand.”

Resource Minister Scott Stewart, who visited the North West Minerals Province last week to announce a breakthrough with a phosphate project, said the Jericho operation would have positive “ripple effects” across the region.

“It also means flow-on effects to places like Townsville which is part of the critical minerals supply chain,” he said.

“Prioritising and fast-tracking mineral extraction is a key action identified under the Queensland Critical Minerals Strategy, and that’s exactly what we’re doing.

“With our pipeline of critical minerals projects growing, Queensland is prepared to become a mining, processing, and manufacturing powerhouse for renewable energy.”

Originally published as Copper project expansion approved in North Queensland