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Critical Minerals Strategy 2023–2030

Date published:
20 June 2023
Date updated:
7 July 2023

Topics

Minerals
Mining, oil and gas

Publisher

Critical Minerals Office

The Critical Minerals Strategy 2023–2030 sets out the government’s vision to grow Australia’s critical minerals sector.

Our critical minerals sector is well placed to seize the opportunities of the clean energy transition thanks to Australia’s:

  • rich geological reserves
  • expertise at extracting minerals
  • track record as a reliable producer and exporter of energy and resources.

The Strategy was shaped by extensive public consultation to understand the barriers and opportunities facing the Australian industry and community.

Its objectives are to:

  • create diverse, resilient and sustainable supply chains through strong and secure international partnerships
  • build sovereign capability in critical minerals processing
  • use our critical minerals to help Australia become a renewable energy superpower
  • extract more value from our resources onshore, which creates jobs and economic opportunities, including for regional and First Nations communities.

Introduction

Acknowledgement of Country

In delivering Australia’s new Critical Minerals Strategy, we pay our respect to our First Nations peoples, their elders and their ancestors who have always cared and continue to care for our lands, waters and commun...

Strategy at a glance

The Critical Minerals Strategy 2023–2030 is a framework to grow Australia’s critical minerals sector. Our critical minerals sector is well placed to seize the opportunities of the clean energy transition thanks to A...

Message from the Minister

This Critical Minerals Strategy is the Australian Government’s plan to grow our critical minerals industry. The Strategy is intended to be an enduring framework which will guide the Government’s future policy decisi...

Vision and objectives

The Critical Minerals Strategy provides a national framework to grow Australia’s critical minerals sector and achieve the government’s vision. The strategy sets out priorities across 6 focus areas.

Operating environment

Find out what critical minerals are, why they are important and their global context.

Opportunities for Australia

Australia is well placed to support diverse, resilient and sustainable supply chains. But these will not come about unless governments, communities and industry work together.

Our approach

The Australian Government will take a concerted, targeted and proportionate approach to developing our critical minerals sector.

Our focus areas

The Strategy sets out priorities across 6 focus areas. These outline how the government will seize our critical minerals opportunity by working with:

  • communities
  • industry
  • investors
  • the research and innovation sector
  • states and territories
  • international partners.

1. Developing strategically important projects

Targeted, proportionate support from the Australian Government to de-risk strategically important critical minerals projects, attract private finance, and ensure Australian processing and manufacturing projects can...

2. Attracting investment and building international partnerships

Increased investment from and collaboration with likeminded partners to grow Australia’s downstream processing capability and build diverse, resilient and sustainable global supply chains.

3. First Nations engagement and benefit sharing

Genuine engagement and collaboration with First Nations communities that promotes benefit sharing and respects the land and water rights and interests of First Nations people and communities.

4. Promoting Australia as a world leader in ESG performance

Regulatory and policy frameworks set by the Commonwealth Government are fit for purpose and will: • enable fast, efficient and durable environmental approvals while upholding robust environmental protections • emb...

5. Unlocking investment in enabling infrastructure and services

Strategically planned enabling infrastructure and services help develop industrial hubs and link the critical minerals sector to domestic and global markets. This reduces costs, lowers project risk and attracts larg...

6. Growing a skilled workforce

A skilled, diverse and growing workforce that enables the desired development of Australia’s critical minerals sector, particularly as we move into downstream processing.

The way forward

Delivering the Strategy through coordinated action

The strategy will be delivered through coordinated and complementary action across all levels of government and with industry to effectively address cross-cutting issues.

Conclusion

Accelerating global demand for critical minerals is an unmissable opportunity for Australia.

Download a PDF copy of the report

This document was updated on 7 July 2023 to:

  • include a revised GDP output based on 2023 dollar figures in the ‘Opportunities for Australia’ section. The revised output is $139.7 billion (previously $133.5 billion)

  • clarify the funding available under the Critical Minerals International Partnerships program in the ‘Attracting investment and building international partnerships’ section.

This document was updated on 29 June 2023 to:

  • correct a typographical error regarding the reference period for the modelling referred to in the 'Opportunities for Australia' section, from 2023–2040 to 2022–2040.

  • clarify the location of the freehold Aboriginal land in the 'First Nations engagement and benefit sharing’ section

  • update a case study in the ‘Developing strategically important projects’ section

  • update some images and captions

  • improve formatting and design. 

More information

Read Australia's Critical Minerals List
We consulted the public to inform this Strategy
We commissioned economic modelling to inform the Strategy
See what else we’re doing to grow the critical minerals industry
Read the previous government’s Critical Minerals Strategy on the Australian Government Web Archive