Critical minerals and Queensland know-how combine to create 'rare' opportunity

A team of researchers from James Cook University (JCU) has published a study detailing the vast reserves of rare earth elements (REE) found in Queensland, Australia. These critical minerals, which include 17 chemical elements with unique optical and magnetic properties, are essential for modern technology such as smartphones, batteries, GPS systems, and MRI machines.

Queensland alone holds 4% of the world's REE reserves, with ore bodies located in the Hughenden Basin and the Georgina Basin. The researchers noted that the existing mining operations in these areas, such as those from past uranium mining, already offer an advantage for extracting REE. However, Australia currently only has 1% of the global downstream REE market, mainly due to limited domestic value-adding and environmental regulations.

The JCU researchers are developing more sustainable and competitive methods of REE extraction and purification, with funding from the Australian government's $370 million Critical Minerals Trailblazer Program. By utilizing environmentally friendly solvents and leveraging existing mining infrastructure, the researchers aim to create a domestic processing industry that not only benefits the community but also reduces Australia's reliance on foreign refining.