Watershed mine

{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}

{{Infobox mine

| name = Watershed mine

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| place = 35 km northwest of Mount Carbine

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| state/province = Queensland

| country = Australia

| owner = Vital Metals

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| products = Tungsten

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The Watershed mine is a large open pit mine located about 160 km northwest of Cairns on Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia. Watershed represents one of the largest tungsten reserves in Australia having estimated reserves of 15.1 million tonnes of ore grading 0.46% tungsten.{{cite web|url=http://www.masangroup.com/static/uploads/block/somerly-report-en-6.pdf|title=Tungsten deposits|year=2012|publisher=masangroup.com|accessdate=2013-07-05}}

The mine is owned by Vital Metals who acquired the project in 2005.{{cite web |url=http://vitalmetals.com.au/projects/australia/ |title=North Queensland |publisher=Vital Metals |accessdate=21 September 2013 }} Watershed was Vital Metals flagship project. At time of its acquisition, the site had yet to complete is pre-feasibility study.{{Cite news |url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/watershed-moments-for-vital-and-pan-australian/2005/11/06/1131211946232.html |title=Watershed moments for Vital and Pan Australian |accessdate=21 September 2013 |date=7 November 2005 |newspaper=The Age |publisher=Fairfax Media }} Development of the site has proceeded with the assistance of the Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation.

In September 2013, the mine was eventually granted permission to proceed from the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.{{Cite news |url=http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/$100m-tungsten-project-gets-green-light |title=$100m tungsten project gets green light |author=Malavika Santhebennur |accessdate=21 September 2013 |date=6 September 2013 |work=Australian Mining }}

Access to the mine is via a track leading off the Peninsula Developmental Road. Or from the mine will be trucked to Brisbane and exported to Japan, the US and Korea.{{Cite news |url=http://www.cairns.com.au/article/2013/09/06/247787_local-news.html |title=Company doubles workforce for $100m tungsten mine |author=Nick Dalton |accessdate=21 September 2013 |date=6 September 2013 |work=cairns.com.au |publisher=News Digital Media }}

In May 2018, Vital announced the sale of Watershed to Tungsten Mining NL for $15 million cash.{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Michael |date=2018-05-02 |title=Watershed moment for Vital as project sold to Tungsten Mining |url=https://www.miningnews.net/m-a/news/1337275/watershed-moment-for-vital-as-project-sold-to-tungsten-mining |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=www.miningnews.net |language=en}}