Scientists at the CSIRO conducted small-scale test work on copper sulfide concentrate in 1979, using the CSIRO's 50 kg Sirosmelt test rig. These trials included producing copper matte containing 40–52% copper and, in some cases, converting the matte to produce blister copper.
The results of this work were sufficiently encouraging that MIM in 1983 undertook its own copper smelting test work program using its 120 kg/h test rig, which had by then been rerated to 250 kg/h. It was found that the process was easy to control and that copper loss to slag was low. It was also learned that the process could easily recover copper from copper converter slag concentrate, of which there was a large stockpile at Mount Isa.