North Queensland’s unusually late wet season and our sites' preparedness
Glencore’s Queensland Metals operational teams were well-prepared, and our sites managed effectively throughout North Queensland’s unusually delayed wet season.
The 2024/2025 wet season arrived later than usual, with the Bureau of Meteorology reporting that the region experienced its latest wet season in nearly 75 years, with monsoonal rains only beginning in February.
In anticipation of the wet season, our Environmental teams and operational departments began key preparations in late 2024 to ensure we were in the best position to respond to significant weather events, protecting our people, community, and assets.
In Mount Isa, there was a strong commitment across all sites to ensure that our water management systems were ready for the expected wet conditions.
Preparation involved a thorough review of our water management systems, including inspections, surveys, maintenance, and modelling, to confirm that they were equipped to handle surface water runoff.
A water balance was conducted weekly, and after rainfall events, to verify that stormwater management systems were meeting containment requirements.
Each site also has Trigger Action Response Plans, which outline the necessary actions to ensure systems are monitored and managed effectively, reducing the risk of discharge during rain events.
Our Environment team carries out comprehensive water quality monitoring both on and offsite, ensuring compliance with our Environmental Authority and minimising our impact on the surrounding environment.
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Glencore’s Queensland Metals operational teams were well-prepared for this year wets season.
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Lake Moondarra in Mount Isa received a top-up this wet season.
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The CRL Environmental team inspecting a dam prior to the wet season in Townsville.
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Lakshika Weerasundara, Lead – Environmental Monitoring with Mount Isa Mines inspecting local waterways during February’s rainfall.
Planning for the wet season has been comprehensive at The Townsville Copper Refinery (CRL) and Port Operations.
Close attention has been placed on ensuring adequate capacity in water storage dams, ensuring infrastructure was operational, and that sediment pits and stormwater drainage systems were cleaned as needed.
Before the wet season, CRL conducted inspections of its dams to assess their condition and confirm they could perform to design standards.
Any issues identified during the inspections were addressed immediately when necessary or incorporated into budget planning to ensure structures continue to meet required standards.