The Australian Government has released an updated Critical Minerals List, a new Strategic Materials List of commodities, and intends to scope the creation of Strategic Critical Minerals Hubs across the country.
Australia’s Critical Minerals List has been updated to include fluorine, molybdenum, arsenic, selenium, and tellurium, while removing helium to align with international strategic partner lists.
Critical minerals are vital to the energy transition, and the newly listed commodities are all used in the defence and technology industries.
Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King announced the changes following extensive consultations with industry, the public, and states to support Australia’s growth as a major exporter of clean energy materials.
“The updated Critical Minerals List and the new Strategic Materials will help government focus on those commodities needed to create jobs, keep us secure and power our economy,” Minister King said.
According to her, these minerals are crucial for the greening of the economy and the defence of Australia and its allies.
The Strategic Materials List, alongside the updated Critical Minerals List, identifies commodities crucial for the energy transition without supply chain disruption risks.
The Strategic Materials list will include copper, nickel, aluminium, phosphorous, tin, and zinc, offering global market depth, price transparency, and stable supply chains.
The Strategic Critical Minerals Hubs feasibility study aims to determine how federal and state governments can support critical minerals infrastructure in precincts producing commodities susceptible to supply chain disruptions.
The updated critical minerals list and strategic hubs feasibility study are based on the Federal Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy recommendations, industry feedback, and discussions with State and Territory resources ministers.
Minister King noted that the Critical Minerals List and Strategic Minerals List will be updated as economic and geostrategic dynamics change.
“Australian copper, nickel, aluminium, phosphorous, tin and zinc will be vital to the world’s energy transition, which is why for the first time ever we have articulated their economic and strategic importance by creating the new Strategic Minerals List,” Minister King said.
“Australia is well placed to meet increasing demand for minerals, with large endowments, technical expertise and established resources supply chains,” the Minister added.
