Queensland tin production is set to gain a direct link to the US market, with Mount Garnet’s output to be supplied to a US refiner backed by the Department of Defence.
Huntore Australia’s Mount Garnet polymetallic operation, about 100km south-west of Cairns, has entered a long-term offtake agreement with US tin refiner Nathan Trotter & Co, covering up to 100 per cent of the mine’s production.
The operation is expected to produce up to 3000 tonnes of tin a year, giving the agreement the potential to establish a significant supply link between Queensland and the US.
Natural Resources and Mines Minister Dale Last said the deal followed his trade mission to the US in early 2025 and the Queensland Premier’s mission in August.
“We know that investment follows confidence and this agreement is exactly what happens when the government delivers a stable regulatory environment that companies can invest in,” he said.
Huntore Australia chairman Jim Moonier said Queensland’s environmental, social and governance standards had been an important consideration in negotiations with Nathan Trotter.
“Queensland is a good place to do business in because we have a stable operating environment and a government that is willing to work with industry,” Moonier said.
He said he hoped the agreement would be the first of further deals for Huntore’s Mount Garnet operation.
Last said the Queensland Government would continue supporting critical minerals development through its Delivering Queensland’s Critical Minerals Future 2026-2030 strategy and a $146 million allocation in the 2026-27 Budget.
The government said the agreement was intended to support more resilient international supply chains by connecting Queensland mineral production with a US refiner.
Last said Queensland’s resource base, workforce and existing projects provided a platform for further critical minerals investment.
