Our department’s response to Coronavirus (COVID-19)
See Australia.gov.au for whole of Australian Government COVID-19 advice.
- Policies and initiatives
Emissions reduction
Industry innovation and science
- Artificial intelligence
- Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
- Australian Space Agency
- Boosting innovation and science
- Co-hosting the Square Kilometre Array
- Increasing international collaboration
- Industry growth centres
- Industry Innovation and Science Australia
- National Measurement Institute
- Optical astronomy in Australia
- Participating in the digital economy
- Promoting innovation precincts
- Science in our department
- Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
Energy
Resources
Northern Australia
Trade
Business support
Measurement services
Government to government services
- Regulations and standards
Emissions reduction
Energy
Resources
- Applying to export rough diamonds
- Applying to export uranium and controlled ores
- Offshore mineral exploration and mining
- Offshore oil and gas exploration and development
- Offshore petroleum exploration acreage release process
- Regulating offshore oil and gas in Australian Commonwealth waters
- Regulating the Ranger Uranium Mine
- Taxes and royalties on minerals and petroleum
Measurement
Trade
Space industry
Building industry
Business support
- Funding and incentives
Emissions reduction
Industry innovation and science
- Australian Square Kilometre Array Fellowships Programme
- Business Research and Innovation Initiative
- Business-research collaboration
- Collaborating with Asia-Pacific on science, research and innovation
- Collaborating with China on science and research
- Collaborating with India on science and research
- Cooperative research centres
- Enabling international space investment
- Industry 4.0
- Inspiring Australia: Science engagement in Australia
- International research collaboration
- Moon to Mars: opportunities for Australian businesses
- Prime Minister's Prizes for Science
- Research and Development Tax Incentive
- Supporting advanced manufacturing
- Supporting business and innovation
- Supporting space infrastructure growth
- Transitioning Australia’s automotive manufacturing industry
- Venture capital
Resources
- About us
COVID-19
Jobs
Who we are
- Our Ministers
- Our Executive team
- Organisation chart
- Our portfolio agencies
- Overseas engagement
- Anti-Dumping Commission
- Anti-Dumping Review Panel
- Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
- Australian SKA Office
- Australian Space Agency
- Critical Minerals Facilitation Office
- National Measurement Institute
- Office of Innovation and Science Australia
- Office of Northern Australia
- Office of the Chief Economist
- Office of the Chief Scientist
Who we work with
Reporting and accountability
- Annual report
- Assurance and Audit Committee
- Budget statements
- Campaign Certification Statements
- Continuing Order of the Senate
- Corporate plan
- Deregulation agenda
- Freedom of information
- Gifts and benefits register
- Grants reporting
- Information Publication Scheme
- Our contracts
- Privacy impact assessments
- Public interest disclosure
- Senate Order 15: portfolio appointments and vacancies
Our online presence
Contact
- Publications
- News
- Policies and initiatives
Emissions reduction
Industry innovation and science
- Artificial intelligence
- Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
- Australian Space Agency
- Boosting innovation and science
- Co-hosting the Square Kilometre Array
- Increasing international collaboration
- Industry growth centres
- Industry Innovation and Science Australia
- National Measurement Institute
- Optical astronomy in Australia
- Participating in the digital economy
- Promoting innovation precincts
- Science in our department
- Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)
Energy
Resources
Northern Australia
Trade
Business support
Measurement services
Government to government services
- Regulations and standards
Emissions reduction
Energy
Resources
- Applying to export rough diamonds
- Applying to export uranium and controlled ores
- Offshore mineral exploration and mining
- Offshore oil and gas exploration and development
- Offshore petroleum exploration acreage release process
- Regulating offshore oil and gas in Australian Commonwealth waters
- Regulating the Ranger Uranium Mine
- Taxes and royalties on minerals and petroleum
Measurement
Trade
Space industry
Building industry
Business support
- Funding and incentives
Emissions reduction
Industry innovation and science
- Australian Square Kilometre Array Fellowships Programme
- Business Research and Innovation Initiative
- Business-research collaboration
- Collaborating with Asia-Pacific on science, research and innovation
- Collaborating with China on science and research
- Collaborating with India on science and research
- Cooperative research centres
- Enabling international space investment
- Industry 4.0
- Inspiring Australia: Science engagement in Australia
- International research collaboration
- Moon to Mars: opportunities for Australian businesses
- Prime Minister's Prizes for Science
- Research and Development Tax Incentive
- Supporting advanced manufacturing
- Supporting business and innovation
- Supporting space infrastructure growth
- Transitioning Australia’s automotive manufacturing industry
- Venture capital
Resources
- About us
COVID-19
Jobs
Who we are
- Our Ministers
- Our Executive team
- Organisation chart
- Our portfolio agencies
- Overseas engagement
- Anti-Dumping Commission
- Anti-Dumping Review Panel
- Australian Radioactive Waste Agency
- Australian SKA Office
- Australian Space Agency
- Critical Minerals Facilitation Office
- National Measurement Institute
- Office of Innovation and Science Australia
- Office of Northern Australia
- Office of the Chief Economist
- Office of the Chief Scientist
Who we work with
Reporting and accountability
- Annual report
- Assurance and Audit Committee
- Budget statements
- Campaign Certification Statements
- Continuing Order of the Senate
- Corporate plan
- Deregulation agenda
- Freedom of information
- Gifts and benefits register
- Grants reporting
- Information Publication Scheme
- Our contracts
- Privacy impact assessments
- Public interest disclosure
- Senate Order 15: portfolio appointments and vacancies
Our online presence
Contact
- Publications
- News
- Home
- Policies and initiatives
- Resources
- Critical Minerals Facilitation Office
On this page
Critical Minerals Facilitation Office

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 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.
Read more
View our news and media
Connect with us
- Subscribe to Australian Critical Minerals News
- Follow us on Twitter @ResourcesGovAu
Contact us
- Email criticalminerals@industry.gov.au
- Post to Critical Minerals Facilitation Office, GPO Box 2013, CANBERRA ACT 2601
See also
See policies, programs and work to support Australia’s resources sector.
Last updated: 8 December 2020
Content ID: 67581