Sustainable Economic Growth for Regional Australia

The Mineral Processing Chain Tour

This tour showcases several aspects of the minerals processing chain and encompasses Queensland Nickels’ Yabulu Refinery and the Port of Townsville. Participants will be able to follow raw material as it arrives at the Port of Townsville and transported to the Queensland Nickel refinery at Yabulu for processing and is then transported back to the Port of Townsville for export.

Handling around 10 million tonnes of diverse cargo annually, Port of Townsville is a cornerstone of North Queensland’s economy. It is well connected to the internationally recognised North West Mineral Province and surrounding agricultural industries, and is strongly positioned with world class physical and social infrastructure, making Townsville an attractive place to invest and do business.
Since the Port’s first wharf was constructed in 1863, the Port has been central to the economic development of North Queensland. The port is situated in the heart of tropical North Queensland and provides Australia and its international business partners with a world class gateway for commerce and trade. Port of Townsville is unique in that its sea jurisdiction encompasses the World Heritage area adjacent to the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park.

The Queensland Nickel Refinery at Yabulu was established in 1974 to process ore from the Greenvale Mine. Having undergone several changes in ownership, it is now under the control of Clive Palmer, who acquired the operation in 2009 and secured the future of over 900 employees attached to the plant. Both nickel and cobalt are processed from concentrate imported from New Caledonia, Indonesia and Philippines through the Port of Townsville. Following processing utilising patented technologies, the finished product is used in a variety of industrial applications.

 

Information on Study Tour 2 and 3 will be provided shortly.