Douglas mineworkers set to join upscaled Mt Carbine workforce

TUNGSTEN PRODUCTION

David Gardiner

Journalist

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The open cut Mt Carbine tungsten mine just west of Douglas Shire will soon substantially increase output. Picture: EQ Resources

Residents from Douglas Shire are expected to be among a new intake of mineworkers at Mount Carbine, just west of the shire, with the area’s tungsten mine boosting production in coming months.

Tungsten, also known as wolfram, is a critical mineral used in aerospace, construction, and technology including smartphones, solar panels, wind turbines and EV batteries.

The Mt Carbine open cut mine, run by EQ Resources, will soon substantially upscale its production of tungsten from 350 tonnes of concentrate a year to between 60 to 90 tonnes a month (up to 1,080 tonnes a year) once open cut mining begins.

Mt Carbine is currently Australia’s only primary tungsten producer. The mine will employ up to 135 full time workers.

“Demand for critical minerals such as tungsten is increasing exponentially as the world moves towards decarbonisation,” state minister for resources, Scott Stewart said.

“Together our resources industry development plan will work hand in glove with the energy and jobs plan to help get these minerals out of the ground to build the solar panels, wind farms, electric vehicles and batteries we need for the future,” he said.

EQ Resources CEO Kevin MacNeill said Mt Carbine is already a major jobs provider in the region and will grow further as production ramps up.

“The open cut mine will provide a five-fold increase in grade quality which will allow us to become a global leader in tungsten supply,” Mr MacNeill said.

“Our plan is for the Mt Carbine mining leases and surrounding exploration tenements to become a top three tungsten producer outside of China.

“We are also looking to make a major contribution to economic development in the Cairns hinterland including upgrading services and providing employment opportunities in a region hit hard by COVID-19 lockdowns.”

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