A state-by-state rundown of Australia’s copper mines

Given projected shortfalls, copper supply is going to be all important in the years to come. So where in Australia is it going to come from?

South Australia and Queensland are expected to maintain their position as key copper exporters in the future, while New South Wales and WA also have a role to play.

South Australia

BHP is already producing copper from Olympic Dam, Prominent Hill and Carrapateena, and hopes Oak Dam will be a producer in the coming years.

Hillgrove Resources recently restarted the Kanmantoo copper mine, with 2584 tonnes of the metal produced in the June quarter. The mine is expected to produce around 12,000 tonnes of copper up to 2026.

The Hillside project in South Australia, considered one of Australia’s largest undeveloped copper projects, is also an emerging asset, with a mineral resource of 1.9 million tonnes of copper and 1.5 million ounces of gold.

Other prospects in South Australia include Coda Minerals’ Elizabeth Creek project and Havilah Resources’ Kalkaroo project.

Queensland

True North Copper’s Cloncurry project is poised to produce first copper shortly, while Harmony Gold is advancing its Eva copper mine, which it believes will be the largest copper mine in north-west Queensland.

AIC Mines is progressing its Jericho copper mine, which will complement the company’s Eloise copper mine.

Hammer Metals, Carnaby Resources, Revolver Resources and Transition Resources are other players in Queensland, most of which are operating in the prospective North West Minerals Province.

Aeris Resources is another company currently producing copper, which has hopes to further boost its operations in the state.

New South Wales

New South Wales is known for its unique porphyry copper deposits, including the world-class Cadia Ridgeway operation. Evolution Mining’s Northparkes is another porphyry-style deposit.

Volcanic-associated massive sulfides (VAMS) deposits are also present in NSW, with Aeris Resources’ Tritton operations and the advanced Woodlawn brownfield project falling into this category.

Metals Acquisition has plans to boost production at its CSA copper mine, while emerging projects in NSW include the Mineral Hill and Copper Hill mines.

Western Australia

Some of the copper names to keep an eye out for in Western Australia include Cyprium Metals and its Nifty restart project, Develop Global and Anax Metals’ Sulphur Spring copper-zinc project, Caravel Minerals’ Caravel project and Auking Mining’s Koongie Park project.

BHP is also advancing its West Musgrave project in WA.

All of these assets are looking to fill the void left by Sandfire Resources’ DeGrussa copper operation, which ceased production in 2022.

While there are significant copper shortfalls projected for the future, if all goes to plan and most of the aforementioned copper projects enter production, Australia has the potential to be a prominent export partner in the future.