Industry, Innovation and Science Minister Senator Tim Ayres is expected to proxy for the Federal Government in Mount Isa tomorrow in an announcement regarding the future of the Glencore copper smelter.

The smelter is part of Mount Isa Copper Operations (MICO) which includes two mines, Enterprise and X-41, the concentrator circuit, smelter and Townsville based refinery.

Owner Glencore put MICO under review since the closure of the mines due to poor copper grades.

Phosphate

The future of the smelter has a direct impact on Dyno Nobel's Southern Cross phosphate operations located south of Mount Isa.

Sulphur is extracted from the stack and processed into acid in what described as one of the largest plants in the southern hemisphere.

More than 1mtpa sulphuric acid is combined with phosphoric ore to create phosphoric acid which is then reacted with ammonia to producer fertiliser. World stocks are low and substitute acid sources are not forthcoming. There are around 540 direct jobs at Phosphate Hill.

Copper

There are two copper smelters in Australia the other being at Olympic Dam in South Australia.

The continuing role of the Mount Isa smelter as a facilitator for other mines to treat concentrate has been the subject of concern from local authorities, peak industry bodies and community groups.

The smelter has capacity to handle more than 1mta concentrate which is processed into 99.7 per cent metal.

The biggest third-party customer is Cloncurry-based Ernest Henry owned by Evolution Mines. Supplies from there are limited. Capricorn Copper north of Cloncurry has been offline since march last year due to water accumulation.

Aeris Resources decided to suspend operations at the Barbara mine between Mount Isa and Cloncurry after a review which failed to support a proposal to take operations underground. It had been mining open cut since 2022.

Production at Mount Cuthbert and True North Copper (TNC) also operating north of Cloncurry has also ceased.