State governments emphasised Australia’s reach in the critical minerals sector after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese met with US President Donald Trump last week to produce a secure supply amid export bans from China.
At the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) in Sydney from 21-23 October, New South Wales Premier Chris Minns made an appearance to highlight the state’s clear focus on aiding the clean energy transition.
“Not only do we have experienced companies, the trained workforce, the stable democracy, the rule of law, we’ve also got the critical minerals sitting there to make a big difference: 21 of 31 on the critical minerals list, four out of five on the strategic minerals list, significant deposits of rare earths,” Minns says.
“We’ve got critical minerals and high-tech metal projects that are ready to go.”
Minns believes New South Wales projects are likely to rake in billions for the state economy, while also making a “major difference to the global economy”, so long as investors start buying in.
The Premier described the event as a sales pitch for investors, where companies can showcase their assets and appeal to market demand.
“Without mining, we can’t transition our energy system. We can’t expand renewable power. We can’t drive the economy of the future,” Minns adds.
The conference welcomed more than 11,000 mining executives, operational staff, investors, government officials, diplomats and METS companies over the three day event, reaching new heights.
Mining.com.au was in attendance at the event this year, with Executive Producer Shae Russell on the floor.
Queensland captures investors
A state north of IMARC, Queensland jumped onboard the country-wide focus on critical minerals, investing $30 million into silica mining jobs in Far North Queensland.
The investment will create 180 new jobs south of Innisfail, where public, unlisted, critical minerals company Silica Resources Australia’s Mourilyan Silica Sands Project is focused on ramping up production efforts.
The project was recently awarded a $30 million grant from the Queensland Investment Corporation (QIC) to produce over 360,000 tonnes in the next year, and over 750,000 tonnes in the next five years.
Also attending IMARC, Queensland Minister for Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Ros Bates describes the investment as an initiative to deliver better outcomes and stronger returns to become a “significant local employer”.
“Silica flour is an essential precursor for silicon, a key component in advanced technologies like semiconductors and solar panels,” Bates says.
“Demand in countries like Japan, Korea and Taiwan is growing rapidly, and we are taking strong action to make sure Queensland is essential in the global supply chain.
“Our investment through QIC has delivered the plant, equipment, and land acquisitions for SRA to get on with creating jobs and mining the more than 50 million tonnes of silica sand on the project site.”
Utilising this grant, Silica Resources Managing Director Rob Tindall says the company intends to develop common user infrastructure at Mourilyan.
“This investment and our existing mining lease has allowed us to start extracting from a silica deposit requiring only shallow, low-cost extraction methods,” Tindall says.
“Demand driven by solar and clean energy technologies is anticipated to grow the global silica sand market to more than $36 billion by 2032, and this project allows North Queensland to secure a stake in that market while creating local employment and trade opportunities.”
Meanwhile, Queensland-based Graphinex has secured a US$860 million ($1.32 billion) Letter of Interest from the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) to fund a proposed graphite mine and processing plant in North Queensland.
The site is predicted to create over 200 jobs at the mine site near Croydon and the plant in Townsville.
“Over the past decade, exports were transactional, relationships were an afterthought, Queensland’s export potential sat idle, and investment opportunities were missed,” Bates adds.
“By taking our international partnerships seriously, we are delivering a fresh start with new jobs and new investment, so Queenslanders can get on with building the lifestyle they deserve.”
Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last describes the support from the US as a “vote of confidence” for Queensland’s resources.
“This Letter of Interest follows close engagement between the Crisafulli Government and EXIM, as part of our plan to restore Queensland’s international reputation and deliver a better lifestyle for Queenslanders through a stronger economy,” Last says.
“Queensland is home to world-class graphite reserves in the world, and Graphinex’s plan to mine, process and manufacture ultra-high performance anodes right here in Queensland shows we are ready to lead the next wave of critical minerals investment.”
Graphinex Managing Director Art Malone says the US has sent a strong signal regarding its graphite demand.
“This is a pivotal moment for Graphinex and a strong signal from Washington DC that graphite matters,” Malone says.
“The US has made it clear that secure supply chains for critical minerals are essential to advanced manufacturing and defence capability.
“This financing milestone provides the momentum needed to accelerate development, lock in downstream partnerships, and create a secure and scalable pathway for high-quality and reliable graphite supply into the US market.”
WA conference opens
Over in Western Australia, the Pilbara Ports Safe Ships Safe Ports Forum welcomed 700 delegates including Australian and international industry leaders from the marine, resources and logistics sector.
Ports Minister Stephen Dawson described the Pilbara region as the “engine room of the Australian economy”.
“Pilbara Ports Safe Ships Safe Ports Forum is an outstanding example of collaboration across industry to strengthen maritime safety and operational excellence,” Dawson says.
“Confirming the feasibility of ship-to-ship ammonia refuelling at the Port of Port Hedland marks a major step towards establishing the Pilbara as a global hub for clean fuel bunkering and decarbonised shipping.”
The forum is regarded as one of the country’s largest maritime conferences, first established in 2016.
The 2025 program ran from 21-22 October, focusing on the Pilbara Ports Clean Fuel Bunkering Strategy to support a ship-to-ship ammonia bunkering trial at the Port of Port Hedland in 2026.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: IMARC, Silica Resources Australia & Pilbara Ports
