New funding seeks to strengthen international collaboration in critical minerals science.

The Federal Government has announced a $2.5 million grant to fund a new CSIRO research program at the Australian Critical Minerals Research and Development Hub.

The government says it wants to fortify international partnerships and build more resilient supply chains for critical minerals. 

“Critical minerals research and development is crucial to developing low-emissions technologies such as electric vehicles, storage batteries, and solar panels that will help our international partners lower emissions and achieve their climate commitments,” said Federal Minister for Resources and Northern Australia, Madeleine King.

The funding is intended to support a range of activities, including an international R&D collaboration scan, strategic R&D projects across critical minerals technologies, international science delegations, scholarship networks, and a critical minerals research summer school for domestic and international researchers.

The Australian Critical Minerals Research and Development Hub was established as a government-funded partnership involving CSIRO, Geoscience Australia, and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). 

Announced in October 2022, the Hub focuses on unlocking Australia's critical minerals potential by addressing priority technical challenges and aligning R&D efforts with strategic national priorities.

The Hub collaborates with industry, universities, and the broader research community to drive research across the critical minerals value chain.