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Continuing impact

Australian Critical Minerals R&D Hub final summary report cover showing blue graphic showing map of Australia encricled by symbols associated with minerals, resources mining and technology.
Australian Critical Minerals R&D Hub final summary report cover.

Welcome to the final edition of the Australian Critical Minerals R&D Hub newsletter.

As the Hub reaches the end of its four-year program, we are taking the opportunity to reflect on what has been achieved through collaboration across CSIRO, Geoscience Australia and ANSTO — and to look ahead to how this work will continue to support Australia’s critical minerals ambitions.

Since its establishment in 2022, the Hub has brought together national science capability to help accelerate critical minerals research and development, address technical bottlenecks, strengthen supply chain resilience and support Australia’s role as a trusted partner in global clean energy and technology supply chains. Through seven collaborative research projects, new pilot-scale facilities, international partnerships, technical advice and national coordination, the Hub has helped build the foundations for a more connected and capable critical minerals R&D ecosystem.

While the Hub itself is coming to a close, its impact will continue. The knowledge, expertise, data, workflows, intellectual property and research infrastructure developed through Hub projects will remain important resources for government, industry and the research sector. These capabilities will continue to help advance processing pathways, inform criticality assessments, support downstream opportunities and enable Australian-developed solutions to be tested and progressed with industry partners.

The partnerships and coordination strengthened through the Hub also provide a strong platform for future work. Continued collaboration across government, industry, universities and Australia’s national science agencies will be essential to maintain momentum, refine national research priorities and ensure Australia’s critical minerals capability continues to grow in areas of strategic importance.

In this final newsletter, we are pleased to share the Hub’s final highlights summary, which captures key achievements, project outcomes and the enduring value of this collaborative national effort.

Download the report:  Australian Critical Minerals R&D Highlights 2022-2026 [936KB]

Australian first facility

Inside ANSTO’s new critical minerals facility

ANSTO has launched a new national facility for critical minerals, boosting Australia’s end-to-end capability from discovery through to downstream processing. This Australian-first facility will accelerate critical minerals development, from lab-scale to real-world deployment.

Showcasing research

Inside the 2026 Hub Science Conference

From new discoveries to applied innovation, the 2026 Hub Science Conference highlighted the breadth of research powering Australia’s critical minerals pipeline. The conference brought together leading scientists and partners to showcase breakthrough research shaping Australia’s critical minerals future.

Unlocking rare earth opportunity

Rare Earths Resources Workshop

A recent national workshop brought together industry, research and government to accelerate development of Australia’s rare earths, to drive collaboration and move Australian resources from potential to production.

Contacts

Work in critical minerals continues within the three agencies. 

CSIRO: Contact us

ANSTO: mineralsadmin@ansto.gov.au

Geoscience Australia: clientservices@ga.gov.au