Severe flooding in Queensland has crippled key transport routes, halting copper, zinc, and fertiliser exports from one of Australia's major mining hubs.
Australia's Mount Isa rail line — which supports the transport of fertiliser, copper, and zinc — remains closed due to weather-related damaged following multiple floods in late December and January.
Water levels along the line are slowly receding, and major recovery works are underway, Queensland Rail told Argus on 12 January. The operator first closed parts of the Mount Isa line on 29 December because of heavy rainfall.
Weather-related road and rail disruptions have impacted global producer Glencore's ability to move copper concentrate to its Mount Isa smelter by road and rail, a spokesperson told Argus.
The Mount Isa line has faced disruptions before. Three locomotives and a wagon carrying copper and zinc from Glencore's Mount Isa operations derailed on 5 December 2025, triggering a three-day shutdown.
Queensland Rail also closed the line for 11 days in February 2025 due to severe flood-related damage following weeks of heavy rain.
