Tungsten mine revived to support renewables boom

Demand for renewables has brought about the revival of a historic North Queensland mine, along with the promise of jobs and economic benefits for the region.

Full-scale mining is set to begin soon at EQ Resources’ Mt Carbine tungsten project, about 130 km northwest of Cairns. The mine will employ up to 135 full-time workers.

“This is an important step forward for both Queensland’s growing critical minerals sector and our renewable energy transition,” said Resources Minister Scott Stewart.

“Demand for critical minerals such as tungsten is increasing exponentially as the world moves towards decarbonisation.”

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

Despite Australia’s resources being the second largest in the world, nearly all tungsten supply comes from China and Russia.

Currently Australia’s only primary tungsten producer, Mt Carbine produces about 350 tonnes of concentrate a year from existing tailings and low-grade stockpiles. Once open-cut mining begins, production is expected to ramp up to between 60 and 90 tonnes a month.

The mine is located within Queensland’s North East Minerals Province, home to the in-demand critical minerals needed for the world’s decarbonisation plans, including tungsten, molybdenum and tin.

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

“The open-cut mine will provide a fivefold increase in grade quality, which will allow us to become a global leader in tungsten supply.

“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.”

Image credit: iStock.com/vencavolrab