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Environment

We seek to minimise impacts on the environment from Queensland Metals mining and processing operations.

Each of our sites operates under an Environmental Authority issued by the Queensland Government—strict conditions must be met.

We abide by robust performance targets, and frequently go beyond them to further improve our environmental record.

Continuous improvement

Queensland Metals invests significantly in initiatives and industry-leading projects to ensure we protect our local environment while continuing to operate safely and responsibly.

Day-to-day activities and improvement initiatives take place across all areas and roles of our operations work to minimise and mitigate any negative impact from our activities.

If environmental incidents do occur, we take immediate action to remediate and investigate the cause to prevent a reoccurrence.

  • Monitoring and improving air quality Isa is an important part of our operations.

  • Ensuring healthy waterways is a focus of all our operations.

Transparent community engagement

We recognise our responsibility for stewardship of the land we use. We actively engage with our pastoral and community neighbours, as well as traditional native title groups to ensure how we operate supports the long-term health of the local environment.

Being transparent about our operations and performance helps to ensure our local communities are satisfied with our approach. We seek to preserve and restore the natural environment throughout our operations’ lifecycle.

Key environmental initiatives

Initiative

Continuous improvement to our Air Quality Monitoring Network—the most comprehensive air quality monitoring system in Australia:

  • Atmospheric Temperature Profiler allowing continuous real-time measurement of upper air temperatures (up to 1,000m)—first instrument of its kind in Australia.

Continuous improvement in the stormwater containment system since 2012, including:

  • 49 new onsite containment structures built

  • 21 new pumps, to protect against overflow

  • 26 kilometres of new pipeline installed

  • 991 megalitre capacity increase in stormwater storage (equivalent to 396 Olympic-sized swimming pools).

Air quality, rehabilitation works, groundwater and stormwater management and waste management, including:

  • continuation of the progressive rehabilitation project for the Handlebar Hill Waste Rock Dump

  • reclamation of tailings material to substitute raw material usage in paste filling operations.

Initiative

Water management improvement works, inluding:

  • water instrumentation telemetry to improve system feedback

  • stormwater management infrastructure upgrades, including relining of pipes

  • irrigation system upgrades.

Initiative

Water and dust management, including:

  • optimisation of the stormwater management infrastructure and treatment system

  • continuous improvement of air quality monitoring program, including a refined trigger action response plan

  • enclosure of truck loading/unloading bay

  • improved sealing and housekeeping

  • full replacement of storage shed sheeting to ensure ongoing dust containment.

Prioritising community wellbeing

The health and wellbeing of our people and community comes first.

Visit our dedicated pages on how we manage air quality, lead and water in Mount Isa.

  • Health and safety

    Find out more

  • Local communities

    Learn more

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