Investing in Australian critical minerals opportunities

Australia is a secure, reliable source of critical minerals and strategic materials. We are world-leaders in developing responsible projects with high environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials.

These resources can help you identify opportunities and get started:

  • Our Resources and Major Projects report provides updates on project developments and listings, analysis of key trends and issues underpinning the level of investment, and estimates of current and potential investment in mining and energy sectors.
  • Our Resources and Energy Quarterly forecasts the value, volume and price of Australia’s major resources and energy commodity exports, including critical minerals.

Critical Minerals Office

The Critical Minerals Office (CMO) is the Australian Government’s central coordination point for growing Australia’s critical minerals sector. We promote secure, reliable and ethical supply of critical minerals, and provide national policy and strategic advice.

We also facilitate industry development by connecting projects with regulators, financing facilities and strategic partners to unlock investment and downstream opportunities.

The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade)

Austrade offers connections, support, guidance and information for Australian project proponents, international buyers (offtakers) and foreign investors in priority markets. This includes individual services, business missions and promoting critical minerals projects to international investors through the Australian Critical Minerals Prospectus.

Find Australian Government support for critical minerals projects

These government initiatives and services can support you across the life cycle of your critical minerals project. They include:

  • financing and investment opportunities
  • regulatory and approval support
  • market access and promotion
  • technical and advisory services.

Exploration

Supporting activities up to the pre-feasibility stage.

Geoscience Australia is the nation’s trusted source of information on Australia’s Earth sciences. It empowers decision-making by government, communities and industry.

Geoscience Australia provides precompetitive geoscience data and information to accelerate discovery and development of critical minerals and other resources under the Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative.

Access data, maps, tools and publications, including Geoscience Australia’s portal and GeoInsight

View the Australian Critical Minerals Map 2025

Australia Minerals is a collaboration of Australia’s federal, state and territory government geoscience organisations to provide consistent and accessible information, data and analysis to support mineral exploration, development and investment activities across Australia.

Read more about Australia Minerals

The Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative (CMMI) is a collaboration between the national geological agencies of Australia, Canada and the United States. The CMMI aims to advance understanding of global critical mineral systems through critical minerals resource mapping, data sharing and geological analysis.

Data and publications are available through the CMMI interactive portal. This includes a unified deposit classification scheme and a global critical mineral in ores database.

Access the CMMI portal

Early project development

Supporting projects with in-progress or completed pre-feasibility studies.

AusIndustry connects small to medium businesses with government support and funding. Its network of Regional Managers across the country can give you tailored advice on development grants applications.

Learn more about AusIndustry

The R&D Hub brings together expertise from Australia’s leading science agencies: 

  • ANSTO (Australia’s Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation)
  • Geoscience Australia
  • CSIRO.

It promotes critical minerals R&D collaboration aligned with Australia’s strategic priorities and develops intellectual property to support the sector.

Learn more about the R&D Hub

The R&DTI encourages companies to invest in eligible R&D that it might not otherwise conduct by offsetting some of the associated costs.

Companies with aggregated turnover of less than $20 million receive a refundable tax offset equal to its corporate tax rate plus an 18.5% premium. Companies with aggregated turnover of $20 million or more receive a non-refundable tax offset equal to its corporate tax rate plus an 8.5% or 16.5% premium.

Read more about the R&DTI

The CRC Program funds industry-led collaborative research partnerships to solve industry-identified challenges in line with government priorities.

CRC Grants support medium to long-term collaborations, for up to 10 years. CRC Projects Grants support short-term collaborations, for up to 3 years, with a focus on small to medium enterprises.

Read more about CRC Grants

Read more about CRC Projects Grants

Mid-stage project development

Supporting projects with in-progress definitive feasibility studies.

The MPFA works with project proponents over $20 million in expenditure. It provides case management services to help navigate complex approvals and connect with relevant regulators.

Read more about the MPFA

The Investor Front Door makes it easier to develop major transformational projects in Australia. This pilot program guides projects through regulatory pathways and, where needed, helps projects identify suitable government financing opportunities.

Read more about the Investor Front Door

The Foreign investment in Australia website provides information on foreign investment approval requirements. You can submit foreign investment proposals via its foreign investment portal.

Read more about foreign investment in Australia

The Industry Growth Program supports startups, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with high growth potential to commercialise their ideas, and to transform and significantly scale up their business. The program helps build Australian manufacturing capability across government-identified priority areas, including value-added resources. It provides a free advisory service and merit-assessed matched grant opportunities for SMEs.

Read more about the Industry Growth Program

Final investment decision

Supporting projects with completed definitive feasibility studies.

The $15 billion NRFC has a target investment level of $1 billion for the value-adding in resources priority area. This includes manufacturing products for use in or connection with processing minerals. It provides finance in the form of debt, equity and guarantees.

Read more about the NRFC

NAIF is a Commonwealth Government financier, providing concessional loans for the development of infrastructure projects in northern Australia and the Australian Indian Ocean Territories. NAIF supports critical minerals projects in Northern Australia with $500m earmarked funding.

Read more about NAIF

The CEFC invests in mining technology and decarbonisation to support Australia’s transition to lower emissions. This includes supporting critical mineral supply chains.

Read more about CEFC

Export Finance Australia is Australia’s export credit agency and provides financial expertise and solutions to support Australian exports including critical minerals projects and related infrastructure. It supports Australian businesses:

  • to move further up the value chain to downstream processing. 
  • that are part of the critical minerals supply chain. 

EFA also:

  • offers loans, bonds, guarantees, insurance, and in limited circumstances, equity.
  • can support eligible critical minerals projects on its Commercial Account.
  • administer the Critical Minerals Facility on the National Interest Account on behalf of the Australian Government.

Read more about EFA

AusIndustry connects small to medium businesses with government support and funding. Its network of Regional Managers across the country can give you tailored advice funding eligibility.

Read more about AusIndustry

Processing and production

Supporting projects from first production onwards.

The CMPTI will support critical minerals processing in Australia with a 10% refundable tax offset to encourage investment. It will be available from 1 July 2027 to 30 June 2040.

Learn more about the CMPTI

Business.gov.au and Austrade provide information for Australian businesses on finding export markets, buyers and sales partners and navigating export rules and tariffs.

Visit the Go Global Toolkit

More information

Read about Australia’s critical minerals policies and priorities
Visit business.gov.au to find more grants and funding opportunities
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