A binding agreement to sell the Phosphate Hill fertiliser operation has been welcomed by the Queensland Government as a positive signal for industry confidence and regional jobs in North-West Queensland.
The deal follows an announcement from Dyno Nobel to sell the Phosphate Hill facility, a move the State Government says will help secure the future of the operation and provide certainty for around 500 workers directly employed at the site.
Queensland minister for natural resources and mines Dale Last said the agreement represented renewed confidence in the region’s industrial base and its long-term future.
“When the Crisafulli Government stepped in to deliver a future for the Mount Isa Copper Smelter and Townsville Refinery, we sent a clear message that this Government backs North and North-West Queensland, backs industry and backs the hardworking Queenslanders who rely on those industrial capabilities,” Last said.
Located near Mount Isa, Phosphate Hill is a key part of Queensland’s fertiliser manufacturing sector and plays an important role in supplying the agricultural industry. The facility also supports a wider network of suppliers, contractors and regional businesses connected to the site’s operations.
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The sale also follows the State Government’s support package announced in 2025 for the Mount Isa Copper Smelter, a move aimed at protecting regional jobs and maintaining key processing capacity in the state’s north-west resources corridor.
Phosphate Hill and the Mount Isa Copper Smelter operate within a closely linked industrial ecosystem, with the facilities supporting more than 1,000 jobs across the region.
Last said maintaining Queensland’s fertiliser production capability was vital for both the state’s agricultural sector and national supply chains.
“Recent geopolitical events have also reinforced the importance of protecting Queensland’s sovereign fertiliser manufacturing capability,” he said.
The agreement is expected to support continued operations at the facility while strengthening confidence among workers, suppliers and investors across North-West Queensland’s resources and industrial sectors.