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By Chrissy Arthur | ABC – 1 hour 14 minutes ago


Mining giant Xstrata says it has begun open pit mining at a $124 million project in north-west Queensland.

The Mount Margaret project, near the company's Ernest Henry mine at Cloncurry, will involve a series of small open cut pits to produce copper ore.

Xstrata says the mining operation has begun on budget and on schedule.

Ore will be trucked from the mine to Ernest Henry where it will be processed through an existing concentrator, with the first ore expected to be produced by the end of August.

Xstrata says at least 300 full-time jobs will be created.

The company says the Cloncurry operations are an important part of the north Queensland business, which last year employed almost 4,000 people.

It is also planning further exploration in the Mount Margaret area