- Queensland cements nation-leading role with the Critical Metals for Critical Industries Cooperative Research Centre establishing its national base in Brisbane.
- The Cooperative Research Centre brings together industry, researchers and governments to advance critical metals refining and processing technologies.
- The Crisafulli Government is open for business and delivering more jobs and better services through a stronger economy after Labor’s anti-mining policies stymied new investment and development.
The Crisafulli Government has welcomed the establishment of the Critical Metals for Critical Industries Cooperative Research Centre base in Brisbane, cementing Queensland’s leading role in critical minerals research and innovation.
The nationally focused Cooperative Research Centre will be based at the University of Queensland’s Brisbane City campus, bringing together industry, researchers and governments to accelerate the development and commercialisation of next-generation critical metals technologies.
The Crisafulli Government is open for business and delivering more jobs and better services through a stronger economy, after Labor’s anti-mining policies resulted in missed opportunities and stalled investment.
The Cooperative Research Centre will support industry-led projects that help Queensland and Australia capture more value from critical mineral resources before they are exported through stronger refining and processing capability and more resilient supply chains.
Initial work will focus on opportunities in vanadium, with future projects expected to examine copper, rare earth elements, lithium and tellurium.
Basing the Cooperative Research Centre in Queensland is a clear sign of confidence in the State’s critical minerals agenda and the Crisafulli Government’s plan to unlock the next wave of resources development.
The announcement follows the launch of the Delivering Queensland’s Critical Minerals Future 2026-30 strategy that set a clear plan to grow the sector and build sovereign capability – including the State’s processing and refining capabilities.
It also follows the allocation of $146 million in the 2026-27 Budget to accelerate the extraction, processing and export of Queensland’s critical minerals to the world, including an additional $100m to the Queensland Investment Corporation’s Queensland Critical Minerals Fund to kick-start new projects.
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last said the Queensland base was another strong vote of confidence in the State’s critical minerals sector.
“The Crisafulli Government has a plan to unlock the 51 critical minerals we have in our backyard and the establishment of the Critical Metals for Critical Industries Cooperative Research Centre in Queensland reflects the work we have been doing to cement the State’s reputation as a globally competitive supplier of critical minerals,” Minister Last said.
“We are building our capability to process, refine and commercialise our critical mineral resources right here in Queensland, ensuring our State captures more value from our resources here at home.
“Basing the Cooperative Research Centre in Queensland will further strengthen Queensland’s critical minerals ecosystem and support our efforts to expand the value chain to deliver more jobs and economic benefits for regional communities.
“The new Cooperative Research Centre will help connect researchers, manufacturers, investors and industry to fast-track new technologies, helping turn innovative ideas into commercial outcomes.”
Critical Metals for Critical Industries Cooperative Research Centre CEO Dr Neville Plint said the Cooperative Research Centre would help turn Australian research into practical technologies for industry.
“The Brisbane Hub extends our national reach. It connects Queensland researchers and industry, nationally and internationally, and will help drive promising ideas from the lab into operation,” Dr Plint said.
“Success means more than discovering resources. It means developing the refining technologies, skills and supply chains that capture more value in Australia and make us a trusted supplier to the world.”
