Resources Minister Scott Stewart said an expanded and upgraded Mount Isa drill core facility was yet another way the Palaszczuk government was supporting future resources projects and jobs as part of Queensland's economic recovery from COVID-19.

"The drill core library and its 230km of drill core samples are critical for explorers and geoscientists, as well as university students who are our next generation of industry professionals," said Stewart said.

"The AUS$550,0000 upgrade underway will provide a dedicated core viewing facility that will make it easier for more people to access and study cores. The viewing facility will provide a climate-controlled, dust-free, well-lit space for scientists and explorers to undertake their studies and core-logging activities.

"As scientists' geological knowledge and understanding expands, even the oldest drill core can provide new insights and evidence of potential mineral deposits.

"As demand grows across the globe for new economy minerals, this upgraded drill core facility will be vital for explorers working to uncover new deposits, supporting communities in the northwest - and Queensland's economy - into the future."

The core library and its ‘twin' in Brisbane provide access to samples collected over the past 130 years by previous explorers, state government drilling programmes and mining industry-government collaborations.

This project is due for completion by June 2022.

The Mount Isa core library, located in the Kalkadoon Industrial Estate, Mount Isa, Queensland, holds representative samples from the richest deposits in the region, including the Mount Isa copper and lead mines, Ernest Henry, George Fisher, Cannington, SWAN/Mount Elliott and Capricorn Copper.

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