The biggest news was the one billion dollar deal Evolution Mining struck with Glencore to take over the Ernest Henry copper-gold mine at Cloncurry, with $800m up front and $200m in a year's time.

Under the deal Glencore will continue to treat Ernest Henry product at its Mount Isa smelter and Townsville refinery, which pleased Kennedy MP Bob Katter who initially held concerns on what the long-term impact would be for the north west.

Local and state governments are also happy at the size of the deal believing it shows the importance of Cloncurry to the region, and the region to the rest of Queensland.

And Ernest Henry wasn't the only Cloncurry mine to change hands recently.

The Toronto-based Consolidated Uranium Inc told investors last week its wholly owned Australian subsidiary, CUR Australia has signed a definitive sale and purchase agreement to buy Milo uranium mine from Isa Brightlands Ltd subsidiary of Australian mineral exploration company GBM Resources.

The deal will give CUR a 100% interest in the Milo Uranium, Copper, Gold, Rare Earth Project, 40km west of Cloncurry.

The project has one mineral exploration permit with 20 sub blocks comprising 34 sq km within the Mount Isa Inlier bioregion.

The new purchases will take hold of a uranium resource plus multi-element historic resources with untested exploration and strategic Rare Earth Mineral potential.

Meanwhile in Mount Isa I chatted with CopperString 2.0 executive chairman John O'Brien, in town for a procurement session with local business facilitated by MITEZ.

Mr O'Brien told the forum there would be plenty of opportunities for local business to get involved in the $1.7b project, a project supported by the federal government as Northern Australian Minister David Littleproud told me on his visit to town on Thursday.

And finally in mining news, huge congratulations to Mount Isa's Maryann Wipaki.

Ms Wipaki, General Manager of Health, Safety, Environment, Community at Glencore Queensland Metals has been awarded the 2021 Exceptional Woman in Australian Resources Award, a fantastic and deserved accolade for a local high achiever.