Mount Isa Airport and a nearby cattle station were evacuated after ammonium nitrate being carried by a forklift began to produce smoke at a mine in north-west Queensland.

According to the Brisbane Times, the evacuation covered a 3 km area within the boundaries of Milne Bay Road and the Barclay Highway.

Police received a call after a worker raised the alarm when the forklift carrying the hazardous material had started to emit smoke.

The smoke appeared near a storage area so there were concerns over the possibility that it could spread, according to police.