The New South Wales government has launched a AU$4 million innovation program designed to cement the state’s position as a global leader in critical minerals processing and advanced materials technologies.
The NSW Critical Minerals Processing and Advanced Materials Innovation Program will offer targeted research grants to universities, non-profit institutes, and government research bodies.
The funding initiative forms a core pillar of the state’s Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy, aiming to attract international investment and generate skilled regional jobs.
The program comes amid surging global demand for key resources including rare earth elements, copper, silver, and antimony, driven by rapid expansion in renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, and high-tech manufacturing.
Under the scheme, eligible research organisations can apply for Phase 1 proof-of-concept grants of up to AU$100,000 each.
Key research focus areas include boosting ore recovery from complex deposits, refining processing steps, extracting minerals from mine tailings and residues, and manufacturing high-value advanced materials locally.
Successful Phase 1 recipients will subsequently be eligible to apply for Phase 2 grants commencing in late 2027, which will support demonstration, pre-commercial validation, and scale-up activities in partnership with industry bodies.
Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos highlighted the importance of shifting the state’s economic focus from simple extraction to high-value processing.
“NSW has an abundance of critical minerals, and our Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy is a blueprint to establish the state as a global leader in the clean energy supply chain,” Houssos said.
“We want to see NSW moving beyond just extracting raw materials to develop more in processing capability and advanced manufacturing technologies.”
Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology Anoulack Chanthivong added that investing in local researchers would turn breakthrough ideas into commercial opportunities and secure long-term employment.
“From clean energy to advanced manufacturing, critical minerals will underpin the technologies that power the future,” the minister said.
Applications for Phase 1 proof-of-concept grants are now open and will close on September 18.
