The Mount Isa MPX is up and running after a welcome reception at the Civic Centre on Tuesday evening.
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The MPX will go all day Wednesday and Thursday under a new format as it evolves from the old Mount Isa MineX.
Commerce North West president Emma Harman welcomed delegates saying the event had a new name, new logo and new format.
"It's no longer just an expo and we're looking to raise this event to new heights and grow it into a must do event in the mining calendar," Ms Harman said.
"In order to remain relevant it has to meet the needs of the industry in new and innovative ways so by hosting a conference we're hoping to get a wider array of people in the same room so miners, suppliers and contractors can meet, share ideas and build long-term relationships."
Mount Isa Mayor Danielle Slade said the expo had been a fixture on the calendar since 1996 and had become the region's premier mining expo and conference event.
"A strong viable mining industry means our city is kept viable and strong," Cr Slade said.
In enforced absence of Resources Minister Scott Stewart, the official opening fell to Mr Stewart's new acting director general of the Department of Resources, Mark Cridland, who is in the job barely 10 weeks.
Mr Cridland said the North West Minerals Province brought enormous benefit to the state.
"Copper is important and according to our data is Queensland's second highest earning mineral with about $3.2 billion exported in the year to April, that's an enormous contribution," Mr Cridland said.
"It accounts for about 25pc of Australia's mined copper production and we're only one of two states that can produce copper concentrate into copper anode which I saw happening today (at Mount Isa Mines), which is fantastic."
Mr Cridland said the focus was now on finding new economy critical minerals and the government has released its Queensland Industry Resources Development Plan which was a 30-year vision for the industry.
The conference starts on Wednesday morning.
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