All eyes on Queensland copper

Carnaby Resources has hosted a delegation from the Queensland Government at its Greater Duchess copper-gold project at Mount Isa.

The Queensland Minister for Resources and Critical Minerals Scott Stewart was in attendance, as well as Department of Resources Director General Warwick Agnew and Critical Minerals Queensland executive director Paul Holden.

Carnaby said Stewart discussed potential rail haulage options with the company’s managing director Rob Watkins.

“The Carnaby team was delighted to welcome the Resources Minister, Mr Stewart MP as well as Mr Agnew and Mr Holden to the Greater Duchess Project,” Watkins said.

“This visit marks the second by Queensland Government officials in as many weeks.

“Their interest in Carnaby and the wider Mount Isa region is an encouraging endorsement of the potential of the project and its significance as a key development opportunity at a time when battery and critical mineral expansion is required for the energy transition.”

Carnaby is currently progressing the Greater Duchess project to production, with a scoping study set to be released this month.

The Mount Hope, Nil Desperandum, and Lady Fanny major discoveries are standout prospects within the project, where broad high-grade copper mineralisation has been intersected at all three locations.

The tenement package also includes the historical Duchess copper-gold mine which produced approximately 205,000 tonnes at 12.5 per cent copper from 1900–1940.

“Carnaby remains on track to deliver the Greater Duchess scoping study in May 2024 against a backdrop of robust copper and gold prices and continue to advance the project towards development,” Watkins said.

The interest in Greater Duchess comes as Carnaby recently announced it will be growing its Mount Isa footprint with a $20 million deal to acquire Hammer Metals’ interest in three sub-blocks at nearby Mount Hope.

The blocks are located at Hammer’s Mount Hope South tenement and adjoin Carnaby’s Mount Hope Central discovery near Mount Isa.

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