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Critical Minerals Facilitation Office

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Australia has an abundance of critical minerals. We’re the world’s top producer of lithium, the second largest producer of zircon and rare earth elements, and have extensive undiscovered potential.

These metals and non-metals are vital to advanced technology like:

  • smartphones
  • computers
  • solar panels
  • batteries
  • electric vehicles

Australia has the opportunity to be a global leader in the ethical and environmentally responsible supply of key critical minerals. Expanding supply and meeting this growing demand is a key part of Australia’s Critical Minerals Strategy.

Enabling and attracting investment

The government encourages foreign investment in Australia’s critical minerals. Major mining companies, junior explorers and financiers can benefit from Australia’s mature mining industry and critical mineral potential.

See current investment opportunities and the Australian Critical Minerals Prospectus on Austrade’s website.

See information for critical minerals investors.

Partnering internationally on global supply chains

We’re working across government to lead Australia's international critical minerals engagement. Our international partnerships help address supply chain risks, advance research and promote ethical sustainable practice.

This includes:

  • agreements with the US, India, Republic of Korea, Japan and Canada
  • a founding member of the Energy Resource Governance Initiative
  • leading work to set technical standards and ensure good governance

Read more about our international partnerships.

Helping finance prospective critical minerals projects

We help connect critical minerals projects to finance and funding bodies like Export Finance Australia, the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility and the Clean Energy Finance Corporation. We also connect them with Australia's international partners to secure new investment and commitments to future products (strategic offtake agreements).

See funding and support for critical minerals projects.

Facilitating critical minerals research

We facilitate research and development to:

  • improve access to Australia's critical mineral reserves
  • support new separation and downstream processing capacity in Australia
  • unlock tailings and recycling

We administer a $4.5 million R&D program to boost critical minerals research by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) and Geoscience Australia.

Developing a roadmap for the critical minerals sector

We’re leading efforts to build a Critical Minerals Development Roadmap for Australia. The roadmap will better align critical minerals policy across all Australian jurisdictions, and drive a more strategic, national approach to investment.

As part of this project, we’re working with states and territories to:

  • identify prospective critical minerals hubs and precincts
  • developing a national ethical certification scheme

Collaborations like these can accelerate new projects and enable mineral value-added activity.

About the Critical Minerals Facilitation Office

The Critical Minerals Facilitation Office is the Australian Government's central coordination point to help grow our critical minerals sector. Read about our role and how we work.

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See policies, programs and work to support Australia’s resources sector.

Last updated: 8 December 2020

Content ID: 67581