A new common-user minerals processing facility has officially opened in Queensland, which supports testing, innovation, research, development and skills training across the resources sector.
The Flexi-Lab common-user facility – located at the Resources Centre of Excellence’s Stage Two Future Industries Hub – will support industry-led innovation, workforce skills development and the commercialisation of emerging technologies.
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last says the facility gives the industry a place to test ideas, refine technology and prove up projects.
“Mackay is the gateway to Queensland’s mining heartland, and the Flexi-Lab minerals processing facility is about giving businesses the confidence to invest, expand and take advantage of the opportunities in emerging markets, by giving project proponents the tools they need to succeed,” Last says.
Assistant Minister for Primary Industry Development, Water and Western Queensland Sean Dillon adds that facilities like Flexi-Lab will help create the next wave of skills, technology and jobs for regional Queensland, while ensuring Queensland is well positioned to meet the strong global demand for critical minerals.
This news comes as the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) revealed that output from Australian copper mines is forecast to decrease by as much as 3% in the 2026-27 year following an unchanged copper output, as this news service reported.
The quarterly reports that lower company guidance is expected to impact copper mines in the next financial year.
Copper exports also fell in the first nine months of 2025. Western Australia suffered export declines, with the town of Boddington down 29% in the first three quarters of 2025, and Queensland as a whole down 10%.
Queensland’s copper industry has seen production implications, including the ongoing suspension at 29Metals’ (ASX:29M) Capricorn operations.
While supply is declining, Australia is still marked second globally for its copper resources, with Queensland alone accounting for around 1% of the global copper production, according to the Queensland Government’s Geoscience Open Data Portal.
Queensland has an output of more than 200,000 tonnes of refined copper, making up for around 50% of Australia’s total.
One copper explorer looking to feed into Queensland’s supply chain is Ark Mines (ASX:AHK). Ark is a multi-commodity explorer with copper assets in Far North Queensland, with its Mount Jesse Project, located 176km from Cairns.
The project comprises one exploration permit, centered on a copper-rich magnetite skarn which has potential to be associated with porphyry style mineralisation.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Unsplash
