On The Land
5 February, 2023
Wolfram mine set for new lease on life
AN abandoned Far North Queensland mining area is one step closer to coming back to life – creating more good jobs for regional Queenslanders in the burgeoning critical minerals industry.
Resources Minister Scott Stewart said tenders have been called for resource exploration activities across a 480 square kilometre area, which includes the former Wolfram Camp mine
“Queensland’s long history of resources activity has left a legacy of abandoned mines across the state but, thanks to advancing technology and changing market demands, some of these mines have the potential to once again become commercial operations,” Mr Stewart said.
“After consulting with industry groups, miners, explorers and local representatives last
year, it was clear there was great interest in restarting resource activities at the abandoned Wolfram Camp mine.
“This project is a pilot that could potentially see more of our abandoned mine sites around the state transformed from a liability to an asset – once more generating good jobs and royalties for all Queenslanders.
“Those royalties can also help offset the cost of managing existing, abandoned mines, while the government has also acted to prevent future issues with tighter requirements for progressive mine rehabilitation.”
Wolfram Camp is named for wolframite – an important primary ore of tungsten which miners have been extracting from the site since the 19th century
