Ahead of the Community Cabinet in Townsville this week, Townsville Enterprise is calling on the Queensland Government to fast-track projects like CopperString into construction, in a bid to transition affected workforces across the North and North West and kickstart the delivery of new renewables projects.
The Queensland Government in the 2023 Budget committed $594 million dollars to commence early works for CopperString, and the region’s peak economic development body is urging the government to make good on this promise now to benefit North Queensland communities into the future.
Townsville Enterprise CEO Claudia Brumme-Smith said, “we had some bad news with the 2025 closure of Mount Isa Copper Mine last week. It is the crucial time to provide confidence to new investors that affordable electricity is on its way in our region to enable new mines, processing and creating new jobs for our skilled workers in renewable and critical minerals industries, the economies of the future. Investor confidence must be the priority for all of us now. The advancement of early works for the region’s once in a generation power project is the first step. We need to see boots on the ground and fast-tracked, locally focussed, procurement.”
“We urge the Queensland Government to fast track the early works for CopperString; critical infrastructure that is needed now more than ever to sustain our current mining and processing industry. There is no reason to delay. The budget promised $594 million dollars for this year, we want to see that coming online now.” Ms Brumme-Smith said.
“The Queensland Government’s funding commitment for the CopperString project in March this year was the signal marking this project as the essential step forward in transitioning to a renewable future; but this future is not ahead of us, it is now. We need shovels in the ground now to deliver this potential.”
“This nation building project will secure the future of the North and North-west through providing affordable green power, unlocking new mining opportunities, and improving global competitiveness of our refining and processing industries."
Following the recent federal government announcement to expand the existing Critical Minerals Facility with an additional $2 billion in financing to back Australian critical minerals mining and processing projects, commencement of the CopperString project comes at a crucial time acting as a catalyst to open new pathways for renewable projects, such as the Queensland Pacific Metals (QPM) critical minerals refinery at Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct, near Townsville.
QPM’s Townsville Energy Chemicals Hub (TECH) project will be based in Townsville and can be fast-tracked with the infrastructure pathways provided by CopperString.
“Getting shovels in the ground for CopperString as soon as possible will mean Townsville becomes the hub of critical mineral processing with four world-class refineries – well and truly putting North Queensland in the driving seat to secure the renewable future for Australia,” Ms Brumme-Smith said.
Background:
About CopperString
- The Powerlink-led CopperString 2032 project, formerly known as CopperString 2.0, initially involves building 840km of new electricity transmission line from just south of Townsville in the Burdekin region to Mount Isa that will connect Queensland’s North West Minerals Province (NWMP) to the National Electricity Market. Approximately 200km of additional transmission line will be required to connect new renewable generators to CopperString.
- The overall expanded project has a budget of $5 billion and includes:
- 500 kilovolt (kV) transmission line from just south of Townsville to Hughenden
- 330kV transmission line from Hughenden to Cloncurry
- 220kV transmission line from Cloncurry to Mount Isa
- up to six new substation sites.
- Powerlink is progressing early works on the project in 2023 ahead of construction commencing in 2024. The project is expected to be completed by 2029.Queensland Pacific Metals is an Australian company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX:QPM). The head office is in Brisbane, Queensland and in Townsville, North Queensland.
- The company is focused on developing the Townsville Energy Chemicals Hub (TECH) Project. The TECH Project will be a modern and sustainable, battery metals refinery, 40km south of Townsville, in northern Queensland. The TECH Project will produce critical metals for the rapidly emerging lithium-ion battery and electric vehicle sector.
About Queensland Pacific Metals – Townsville Energy Chemicals Hub
- Queensland Pacific Metals is proposing the development of a world first, zero waste refinery at the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct near Townsville.
- This advanced manufacturing project will be a critical part of a future Battery and Critical Minerals manufacturing supply chain in Queensland.
- The project has been declared a Prescribed Project by the Queensland Government and has also been declared a Significant Investment Project by Queensland Treasury.
- The project will employ more than 800 people during construction and 300 people during operations.
- An independent economic analysis of the project found that once operational, the refinery would lead to an additional $1 billion per annum in industry output in North Queensland.
