Mining giant Xstrata has opened a new $4.5 million accommodation precinct at its Mt Isa mine in north-west Queensland.

The facility will cater for new employees and offer them accommodation for three months.

Xstrata’s Steve de Kruijff says there are 93-bedroom duplex units as part of the complex, which is an environmentally-friendly design.

“We have got a lot of innovation in the building such as breezeways where you don’t need your air conditioning all the time,” he said.

“So the house is designed to take the natural breezes and we will use all our grey water so all the water that is generated by the houses is recirculated through into the gardens.”