Critical Minerals
How can the mining industry accelerate the supply of critical minerals to meet increasing metals demand from new technologies?
The Challenge
The challenge facing Critical Minerals sector is to meet the demand for processed metals driven by changing technical requirements and metal types for a low emissions economy.
Context
The industry recognises critical minerals present a once in a generation opportunity to re-strategise global supply chains. There is a collective demand from countries around the world to democratise the production, transmission, and consumption of energy, which is altering international balances and requirements of minerals.
A new national critical minerals strategy was released by the Federal Critical Minerals Office in June 2023. MRIWA will be working to help align Western Australian research programs led by the state’s universities, industry, and the WA government.
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Apply for Funding
Talk to us about available research funding opportunities for Critical Minerals.
Focus Area Lead
Research Portfolio Manager
Email: salwan.alassafi@mriwa.wa.gov.au
Phone: 618 6289 2287
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Battery and Critical Minerals Prospectus
Read the investment information in Western Australia’s battery and critical mineral industries.
Current Activities
- M10571 - Developing a Perth Critical Minerals Exchange (PCMX)
- M10569 - Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant (C4P) – Stage 3
- M10528 - Extraction of Clay-Hosted Rare-Earth Element Deposits in Australia
- M10485 - Development of cementation-magnetic separation method for sulfide mineral processing and AMD prevention
- M10479 - Critical Resources: Training Future Geoscientists from Discovery to Processing – ARC Industrial Transformation
- M10477 - Advances Electrometallurgy for improved recovery of green metals
- M10473 - Microwave reactor for critical minerals
- M10453 - Beneficiation of Gold Telluride Ores
- M10422 - Understanding the Mt Weld Carbonatite mineral system – a Critical Minerals super-resource in Western Australia
- M0561 - Giant rare-metal pegmatites of the East Pilbara Terrane, Western Australia: Mineral systems analysis and terrane-scale exploration
- M0551 - Integrated 3G geochronology-geochemistry-grain shape: A new toolkit for mineral sands understanding
- M0541 - Organic acid leach system for rare earth extraction technology development
- M0533r - Responsible battery materials: advancing certification and reducing life-cycle impacts
- M0533k - Super anode proposal
- 10623 - Establishing an Australian rubidium industry: Pegmatite ore
Completed Activities
- M10515 - Western Australia Critical Minerals priority scheme
- M10481 - New Opportunities for the PGM industry in WA
- M10470 - State of Play Critical Minerals Report 2022
- M10451 - Development of Vanadium Electrolytes (FBI CRC Project Number 038)
- M0537 - The effect of water quality on rare earth minerals flotation
- M0533q - Development of a trusted supply chain for Australian battery minerals and products
- M0533m - Electrochemical testing of Li-ion battery materials in standard cell formats
- M0533i, M0533v - Beneficiation and Chemical Processing of Lithium Minerals – Phase 2 (FBI CRC No. 030)
- M0533h, M0533g - Cathode Precursor Production Pilot Plant – Stage 2 (FBI CRC No. 031)
- M0533e, M0533f - Hydrometallurgical processing for nickel and cobalt ores, concentrates, tailings, wastes
- M0532 - Geology, mineralogy and metallurgy of eMaterials deposits in WA
- M0524 - Direct Methods for Lithium Extraction from Lepidolite and Spodumene Minerals
- M0502 - Development of an industrially applicable electrostatic solvent extraction column for process metallurgy
Page was last reviewed 11 June 2026