AIC Mines is keeping its Eloise copper mine expansion on track after successfully installing a new ball mill at the Queensland operation.
The ball mill is one of the largest and heaviest components of the processing plant upgrade and its installation clears the way for mechanical assembly of the expanded grinding circuit.
“It provides confidence that commissioning remains on schedule in the December 2026 quarter,” AIC Mines managing director Aaron Colleran said.
The expansion is designed to lift processing capacity to 1.1 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa), supporting future growth at the high-grade underground copper mine located about 60km south-east of Cloncurry.
“The ball mill has a nameplate capacity of 1.5Mtpa, allowing us to cost-effectively stage expansion,” Colleran said.
The larger mill provides AIC with the option to increase throughput beyond the initial expansion as the operation grows.
The successful installation also de-risks the broader construction schedule, with bulk earthworks complete and commissioning activities continuing ahead of the planned start-up later this year.