CopperCo halts mine on flooding concerns

Some 68 employees at CopperCo's Lady Annie mine have been stood down today as record rainfall and significant flooding in Queensland bring operations to a halt.

The workers have been stood down until further notice and will continue to accrue employee entitlements, receivers Deloitte said.

"The adverse weather conditions currently being experienced in North West Queensland have had a significant impact on production at the mine, located 120 km north of Mt Isa," Deloitte said.

"Flooding and subsequent damage has prevented normal access to site, and severely impeded mining operations"

Since 1 December 2008, more than 1060 millimetres of rain has fallen on the site including 183mm in 24 hours on February 8 2009.

"The necessary repairs to restore operations to normal levels cannot properly commence until the weather and conditions improve and as a result, we have been forced to suspend operations," Mr Doran said.