Austral Resources Australia (ASX: AR1) has secured a $15 million investment from the QIC Queensland Critical Minerals Fund (QCMF) to fund Stage 2 expansion planning and alternative power studies at its Rocklands processing facility in north-west Queensland. The studies form part of Austral’s longer-term plan to position Rocklands as a regional copper processing hub while restart work continues in parallel. “Securing the support of the QIC Queensland Critical Minerals Fund is a significant milestone for Austral and a strong endorsement of both the Rocklands processing facility and our long-term strategy,” chair David Newling said. Austral must establish commercial-scale production, defined as a run rate equivalent to 20,000t of contained copper production, and make its first royalty payment by 31 December 2028. Restart Timetable on ScheduleEngineering and procurement work for the Rocklands restart remains on schedule, with first production still targeted for the third quarter of 2027.