CRU to lead landmark study supporting North West Queensland’s copper industry

CRU, the global commodities experts, has been selected to lead the Mount Isa transformation study, a major joint Commonwealth–Queensland initiative designed to assess future opportunities across North West Queensland’s copper industry and support the region’s long-term industrial future.

Working with their consortium partners, CRU experts will assess the full copper value chain across the North West Minerals Province, focussing on the Mount Isa Copper Smelter through to the Townsville Copper Refinery.

By leveraging their expertise in market intelligence – from mining to refining, cost analytics and facility-level data – their experts will evaluate the end-to-end copper value chain in the region. They will also seek to understand the long-term opportunities for the facilities, workers, and industry beyond the government financial support period, positioning the region for a more diverse and resilient future.

Australian Federal Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science, Senator Tim Ayres, and Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, Dale Last, announced the study as part of the broader effort to secure the long-term future of North West Queensland’s copper industry.

Hugh Greene, Global Head of Consulting, CRU Group, comments: “CRU is honoured to have been selected to lead this important study. North West Queensland has long played a critical role in Australia’s copper value chain, and this work will help identify practical pathways to strengthen the region’s industrial capability, resilience, and competitiveness for the long term.”

CRU will work throughout 2026 to engage stakeholders and develop the final report, which will be provided to the government by end-2026.