The final shift has clocked off at Mount Isa’s iconic copper mine, ending more than 60 years of operations and placing the future of Australia’s copper processing capability in serious doubt.
Mining giant Glencore has begun preparing to shut down not just the mine, but also the Mount Isa copper smelter and Townsville refinery — Australia’s last third-party copper processing facilities. The fallout could impact over 17,000 supply chain jobs across the region.
Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith is leading a united North Queensland delegation to Canberra with one urgent message: Keep Our Copper.
“This isn’t just about a mine closing,” said Ms Brumme-Smith. “It’s about the survival of a national strategic industry — and the workers, families, and communities who rely on it.”
“The smelter and refinery are critical to Australia’s role in the booming global copper market, especially as the world races to decarbonise. Yet without swift government intervention, these assets risk being lost — possibly forever.”
Mount Isa Mayor Peta MacRae echoed the urgency.
“This is different. If the smelter and refinery go, we lose the backbone of our copper industry,” she said.
The delegation is calling on federal leaders to strike a deal to protect Australia’s copper future, keep people in jobs, and preserve sovereign capability in the face of rising global demand.
