Capricorn Copper has signed an agreement with BNP Paribas for $45 million to complete funding of its copper mine restart in north-west Queensland.

The company expects the mill to start turning in October as it hits the final straight in its $110 million project to bring the former Mount Gordon copper operation back online.

Capricorn Copper chairman Owen Hegarty said signing the BNP facility represented another positive step forward for the project.

“BNP Paribas’ support, along with the Refurbishment and Restart Project (RRP) progress puts us in a good position to take advantage of the strength we see developing in the global copper market,” Mr Hegarty said.

To date, Capricorn Copper has created more than 350 full time equivalent positions in operational and construction roles.

Once in steady state operations, the company expects to maintain an operating workforce of about 220 full-time employees.

With a high-grade resource containing more than 900,000 tonnes of copper metal, the mine is expected to produce about 30,000 tonnes per annum of copper in a high-grade concentrate over an initial life of 10 years.

The company says the success of the 2017 exploration program has demonstrated the potential to expand the resource estimate and is expected to extend the mine life.

Byrnecut has the mining contract for the site, 120km north of Mount Isa.

Capricorn Copper chief executive officer Carl Hallion said the team at Capricorn Copper was working hard to build a high-quality copper operation.

“That hard work and the capability of the team will see us continue to achieve our key milestones and keep us on track to become Australia’s newest copper producer and success story,” he said.