SA invests $10M in minerals partnership

The South Australian government is investing $10 million in a new research partnership with major resources company OZ Minerals and local universities.

Announcing the funding on Wednesday, Premier Jay Weatherill also welcomed the company's decision to relocate its headquarters from Melbourne to Adelaide.

The research partnership aims to improve the quality of copper concentrates produced in South Australia, he said.

The premier said the move from Melbourne made sense as the company's two major copper assets, Prominent Hill and Carrapateena, were in the state.

Oz Minerals had committed $18 million to the research partnership and the premier agreed that the government's $10 million had been an incentive for the company to move its headquarters.

Mr Weatherill said the relocation would involve about 60 staff but not all them, including the company's chief financial officer, wanted to move to Adelaide.

The research would aim at developing new technologies to unlock SA's unique but deeply covered mineral deposits.

"We know our copper resources are covered by large layers of rock," he said.

"This (research) will be of benefit to mining companies both here in Australia and also around the world."

Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis said the government also will collaborate with OZ Minerals to develop infrastructure in the state's far north that could improve the economic case for proceeding with Carrapateena.