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Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development

Data source

Deposits

Deposits shows significant mineral deposits across Queensland, with a strong focus on critical and strategic minerals identified as primary or secondary commodities. It includes deposit names, locations, identified commodities and the qualitative scale of endowment of significant deposits and occurrences of selected minerals.

Antimony, Aluminium (including bauxite), Cobalt, Copper, Graphite, Indium, Manganese, Nickel, Rare-earth elements, Rhenium, Silicon, Titanium, Tungsten, Vanadium, Zinc—and other commodities when present together with the above selected critical and strategic minerals.

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Infrastructures

Infrastructure plays a vital role across Queensland. This map includes spatial information for Critical and Strategic Mineral refineries, smelters, research and academic hubs and Common user infrastructure. It also includes specific transport and energy networks across Queensland.

Airports

This airport information shows the extent (polygon) and names (if available) of airports and aerodromes within Queensland for use in topographic mapping and in the production of cartographic and web-based mapping applications. For the purpose of this map, the data is converted to point information and is filtered by the function attribute, to display the following features.

  • Regional airports
  • Domestic airports
  • International airports

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Common user infrastructure

The Queensland Resources Common User Facility (QRCUF) will be a purpose-built testing and demonstration facility. This information is part of a larger spatial dataset that shows the location of Topographic building points for use in topographic mapping and in the production of cartographic and web-based mapping applications. For the purpose of this map, the data is filtered by the name 'Queensland Resources Common User Facility'.

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CopperString energy network

The Powerlink-led CopperString 2032 project initially involves building 840km of new electricity transmission line from just south of Townsville in the Burdekin region to Mount Isa that will connect Queensland’s North-West Minerals Province to the National Electricity Market for the first time in Australia’s history.

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Export ports

Overview of Queensland's ports used for exporting mineral resources, highlighting their role in trade and economic development. For the purpose of this map, the data is filtered by the type attribute to display the following features:

  • Mineral ports
  • Coal ports
  • LNG ports

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Freight rail lines

The railway lines are part of a larger spatial dataset that shows the position of Railway centrelines for use in topographic mapping and in the production of cartographic and web-based mapping applications. For the purpose of this map, the data is filtered by the usage attribute to display the Freight lines.

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Refineries and processing

Mineral refineries is part of a larger spatial dataset that shows the location of Topographic building points for use in topographic mapping and in the production of cartographic and web-based mapping applications. For the purpose of this map, the data is filtered by the names ('Sun Metals Zinc Refinery (Sun Metals)', 'Copper Refineries Pty Ltd (Glencore)', 'Proposed Metallurgical Silicon Metal Processing Plant (Townsville)')

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Research and academic hubs

Mineral-related research and academic centres is part of a larger spatial dataset that shows the location of Topographic building points for use in topographic mapping and in the production of cartographic and web-based mapping applications. For the purpose of this map, the data is filtered by the names ('Sustainable Minerals Institute', 'Resources Centre of Excellence', 'James Cook University (Earth Science)').

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Smelters

Mineral smelters is part of a larger spatial dataset that shows the location of Topographic building points for use in topographic mapping and in the production of cartographic and web-based mapping applications. For the purpose of this map, the data is filtered by the names ('Boyne Smelters (Rio Tinto)', 'Mount Isa Mines (Glencore) Copper Smelter', 'Mount Isa Mines (Glencore) Lead Smelter').

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Power lines

National-scale spatial dataset of Australia's electricity transmission network, maintained by Geoscience Australia as part of the National Electricity Infrastructure Dataset. The dataset represents high-voltage power lines used to transmit electricity from generation sources across the transmission network and supports energy planning and other strategic decision-making activities. Only transmission power lines with a voltage capacity of 66 kV and above are included.

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Producers

Producers data show the location of Queensland mines that have submitted their Minerals Annual Statistical returns through the GSQ Lodgement Portal at the end of each financial year. The submitted data is mapped and stored in the GSQ Geoproperties data warehouse. Georesources Intelligence team integrates the data into an Azure Synapse Analytics platform in multiple distributed tables. The distributed tables are then used to populate a customised live data view for Spatial Information team to incorporate into the Resources Investor web map.

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Projects

This projects data is primarily collected and maintained by the department using the industry public sources to highlight current and active mineral projects across Queensland with particular focus on critical and strategic minerals. Significant contributions and quality assurance are also undertaken by the Minerals Assessment Hub, Critical Minerals Queensland and the Reform and Strategy Delivery Office.

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Resource tenures

Coal

Exploration (EPC granted)

Exploration permits allow the holder more advanced exploration methods to determine the quantity and quality of coal present. They allow you to prospect, conduct geophysical surveys, drilling, and sampling and testing of materials.

Development (MDL granted)

A mineral development licence (MDL) is issued so that the holder can evaluate the development potential of the defined resource. An MDL can be granted if the applicant holds an exploration permit where there is a significant mineral occurrence of possible economic potential. It allows the holder to conduct geoscientific programs (e.g. drilling, seismic surveys), mining feasibility studies, metallurgical testing and marketing, and environmental, engineering and design studies. For the purposes of this map, the data is filtered by the division attribute to display the coal mineral development licences.

Production (ML)

A mining lease allows the holder to conduct larger scale mining operations. Mining leases can be issued for any specified mineral. A mining lease allows the holder to machine-mine for specified minerals and conduct other activities associated with mining or promoting the activity of mining. For the purposes of this map, the data is filtered by the division attribute to display the coal mining leases.

Mineral

Exploration (EPM granted)

Exploration permits allow the holder more advanced exploration methods to determine the quantity and quality of minerals present. They allow you to prospect, conduct geophysical surveys, drilling, and sampling and testing of materials.

Development (MDL granted)

A mineral development licence (MDL) is issued so that the holder can evaluate the development potential of the defined resource. An MDL can be granted if the applicant holds an exploration permit where there is a significant mineral occurrence of possible economic potential. It allows the holder to conduct geoscientific programs (e.g. drilling, seismic surveys), mining feasibility studies, metallurgical testing and marketing, and environmental, engineering and design studies. For the purposes of this map, the data is filtered by the division attribute to display the coal mineral development licences.

Production (ML)

A mining lease allows the holder to conduct larger scale mining operations. Mining leases can be issued for any specified mineral. A mining lease allows the holder to machine-mine for specified minerals and conduct other activities associated with mining or promoting the activity of mining. For the purposes of this map, the data is filtered by the division attribute to display the coal mining leases.

Petroleum

Exploration (ATP granted)

An Authority to Prospect (ATP) allows exploration for petroleum, oil, coal seam gas and natural gas. It allows the holder to explore for petroleum, test for petroleum production, evaluate the feasibility of petroleum production or evaluate or test natural underground reservoirs for the storage of petroleum or a prescribed storage gas.

Development (PCA granted)

An authority holder may apply for all or part of an Authority to Prospect (ATP) to be declared a Potential Commercial Area (PCA) to allow assessment of production capacity and market opportunities for the resource.

A PCA enables retention of the designated area beyond the maximum ATP term to support resource commercialisation. An ATP may be held for up to 12 years, while a PCA declaration may remain in effect for a period of up to 15 years.

An application for a PCA must be accompanied by a commercial viability report demonstrating that the resource is likely to achieve commercial viability within 15 years, and an evaluation program outlining activities to address factors currently constraining commercial development.

When an area is declared as a PCA, it remains part of the ATP. When the PCA expires, the declared area ceases to be part of the original ATP.

Production (PL granted)

Applicants can apply for a petroleum lease over an area of their authority to prospect (ATP) if a discovery is made that is currently commercially viable. If the lease is granted, the area is excised from the ATP.

A petroleum lease gives the holder the right to explore for petroleum, test for petroleum production and produce petroleum.

Last updated
08 September 2026
Last reviewed
21 February 2023