THE TRAGEDY OF MOUNT ISA - SOUND

(1 Feb 1965)
Mount Isa, today very much a ghost town rather than Australia's largest copper producer and major source of lead and zinc. The industrial dispute stretching into months of deadlock has caused a complete shutdown of underground mining, and the resultant economic repercussion are little short of disastrous. Every working day this huge plant lies idle costs Australia a loss in export income of 135,000. Obviously, millions of pounds are involved. Intervening, the Queensland Govenment issued emergency orders in Council, principally aimed at preventing Labour Council President, McMahon, and unofficials miner's leader, Pat Mackie from returning to Mount Isa, after Trade union-Fund Raising discussions in Sydney. This is a memorial to Campbell Miles, who first discovered mineral in the Mount Isa area in 1923. In those days isa was a cattle town and transit point for the wide-spread stations throughout the channel country. It was, and still is, a hard, rugged expanse which could perhaps best enjoy the typical description of a "thirsty brown land". The hill country on the outskirts of Mount Isa, where prospectors search for the bonanza, and which, when it was found, turned out to be a virtual mountain of copper. Active mining commenced in 1932, and the first signs of a vast industry began to show. Isolated from civilization, the attraction of big money brought miners to work, and then to stay, with their families to work, as the town continued its growth. Preparing for compulsory conferences aimed at settlement, representatives of unions involved. JACK DEVERAUX, HARRY PEEBLES and COL. EMERY. Another official involved, the President of the Queensland Trades and Labour Council JACK EGERTON seen here with PAT MACKIE.
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[@winsor68]

Lest we forget...this wasn’t a Union led strike. The workers went on strike against the AWU which was working with MIM. Sadly the AWU isn’t any better today.

[@philhatherell3711]

After 100 years of mining copper. MICO is closing the underground mines of X41 & Enterprise in 2025. Goerge Fisher mine, one of the worlds largest known deposits will continue. There still is another 100 years of mining. It is whether it will be socially acceptable to do so is the problem. Next Step is the Super Pit.

[@godfreypoon5148]

Should have moved to Mount PCI.

[@royalaxe]

hahahahhaahah swastika on resivour lookout tank

[@jusfugly]

Would have made more sense to give the workers their pay rise.