Mt Isa Mining jobs

Mount Isa is a city in North-West Queensland, Australia. It came into existence because of the vast mineral deposits found in the area. Mount Isa Mines is one of the most productive single mines in world history—based on combined production of lead, silver, copper and zinc. With a population of about 20,000 in the city and 31,000 in the surrounding district, Mount Isa is the administrative, commercial and industrial centre for the state's vast north-western region. Locals often refer to Mount Isa as "The Isa".

In 1923 the orebody containing lead, zinc and silver was discovered by the miner John Campbell Miles. The company Mount Isa Mines was founded 1924 but full scale production was not reached before 1931. The lead and zinc mining continued with a break between 1943 and 1946. The copper ore was first discovered in 1927 and production grew steadily with a peak between 1957 and 1965.

Mount Isa's industry is largely dependent on mining. Xstrata Plc operates the Mount Isa Mines lease adjacent to the town, which comprises the "Enterprise" underground copper mine, X41 underground copper mine, "Black Star Open Cut" silver-lead zinc mine, and metallurgical processing facilities. Silver-lead-zinc ore is also mined 20 km to the north at Hilton from the "George Fisher" underground mine, and the adjoining "Handlebar Hill" open cut, which is trucked back to Mount Isa for processing.

Mount Isa is in the top two of largest copper mining and smelting operations in the country. Copper and lead are smelted on site, with copper anodes and zinc concentrate being transported 900 km to the city and port of Townsville on the east coast.

Lead zinc silver ore

The primary ore consists of galena, iron rich sphalerite and tetrahedrite as ore minerals along with common accessories pyrite, pyrrhotite, quartz, carbonates and graphite. Minor arsenopyrite, marcasite, chalcopyrite, valleriite, proustite, polybasite and argentite also occur. Original surface oxidized ore contained cerussite, anglesite and pyromorphite. Silver and zinc were removed from the surface oxidized zone and were deposited as supergene ore at a depth above the primary ore.

Copper ore

Copper occurs in brecciated "silica-dolomite" rock. Primary minerals are chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite and arsenopyrite. minor amounts of cobaltite, marcasite, valleriite, chalcostibite, galena and others are reported.

Production

5.4 million tonnes copper ore with 3.3% copper (1986)
4.6 million tonnes silver-lead-zinc ore wit 154g/t silver 5.4% lead 6,5% zinc (1986)
Smelter operations release sulfur dioxide emissions very close to the city of Mount Isa.

Mining Jobs Australia | Mine Jobs Australia | Mining Jobs Quuensland | Australia Mines | Australian Mining Jobs | Unskilled Mining Jobs Queensland | Mining Employment Australia