New $5m critical mineral funding program opens in Queensland
The Queensland Government has opened a new funding program to help extract critical minerals and reprocessing opportunities in mine waste.
The Collaborative Development Program will provide $5m in funding to companies seeking to assess and find ways to extract value from residual materials left behind after the first phase of mining and minerals processing.
Finding critical minerals in mine waste serves as a crucial step towards securing the building blocks of a renewable energy future, ensuring sustainable resource efficiency and advancing the transition to cleaner energy technologies.
Queensland Resources and Critical Minerals Minister Scott Stewart says the State has significant mine waste which has the potential to host substantial mineral resources.
“Our first step is assessing what’s out there and this funding allows businesses to explore areas that were once known for their mineral production to uncover potential critical minerals,” he said.
“As industries pivot towards a more sustainable future, the recovery of critical minerals from mine waste presents a dual opportunity – to reduce our carbon footprint while nurturing a circular economy model.
“This initiative encourages greater resource efficiency by facilitating the recycling of tailings and mine waste, ensuring that valuable minerals already extracted are not overlooked.”
The program runs as a single round and will remain open until the end of June 2027 or until funds are exhausted. It’s part of the $245m Queensland Critical Minerals Strategy.
