PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Copper miner CuDeco has cut the ribbon on the  Rocklands copper mine, in Queensland, just days after shipping its first native copper from the Port of Townsville.

“With shipments of native copper and sulphide copper concentrates to our customers now under way, we are focused on ensuring the successful ramp-up to nameplate capacity,” CuDeco MD Dianmin Chen said at the mine’s official opening on Friday.

The A$640-million Rocklands project is expected to produce an average of 18 347 t/y over an initial ten-year mine life.

The project has created 200 jobs and Minister Assisting the Premier on North Queensland, Coralee O’Rourke, said that the project would help boost the state’s economy and provide much needed jobs to the local community.

“Queensland’s North West mineral province is known around the world as a highly prospective region and the opening of Rocklands copper mine demonstrates the area continues to have a great future ahead,” O’Rourke said.

“During 2014/15, mineral production in Queensland was valued at A$8.6-billion, and more than 70% of that amount was sourced from Queensland’s North West mineral province.

“While Queensland’s mining sector has faced a challenging period in recent years, there continue to be green shoots across the state – highlighted by today’s official opening and the first shipment of exported copper.”

O’Rourke said the state government was considering recent recommendations by the North West minerals province taskforce to help boost future exploration and production in the region.

“We need to think differently and innovatively to unlock the next generation of mines and the work coming out through the taskforce is certainly looking at how to make this happen,” she said.

“The opportunities for regional Queenslanders are evident – with Rocklands mine supporting jobs and putting accommodation in place to ensure the local community shares the flow-on economic benefits.”