Australia's Identified Mineral Resources 2025 Appendices
Page last updated:26 February 2026
Appendix 1. JORC Code
The following terminology and definitions are used by the Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC) Code for reporting of Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves (2012 Edition). A full copy of the JORC Code can be found at jorc.org.
Mineral Resource
A ‘Mineral Resource’ is a concentration or occurrence of solid material of economic interest in or on the Earth’s crust in such form, grade (or quality), and quantity that there are reasonable prospects for eventual economic extraction. The location, quantity, grade (or quality), continuity and other geological characteristics of a Mineral Resource are known, estimated or interpreted from specific geological evidence and knowledge, including sampling. Mineral Resources are sub-divided, in order of increasing geological confidence, into Inferred, Indicated and Measured categories.
Inferred Mineral Resource
An ‘Inferred Mineral Resource’ is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity and grade (or quality) are estimated on the basis of limited geological evidence and sampling. Geological evidence is sufficient to imply but not verify geological and grade (or quality) continuity. It is based on exploration, sampling and testing information gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to an Indicated Mineral Resource and must not be converted to an Ore Reserve. It is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration.
Indicated Mineral Resource
An ‘Indicated Mineral Resource’ is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade (or quality), densities, shape and physical characteristics are estimated with sufficient confidence to allow the application of Modifying Factors in sufficient detail to support mine planning and evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. Geological evidence is derived from adequately detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes, and is sufficient to assume geological and grade (or quality) continuity between points of observation where data and samples are gathered. An Indicated Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence than that applying to a Measured Mineral Resource and may only be converted to a Probable Ore Reserve.
Measured Resource
A ‘Measured Mineral Resource’ is that part of a Mineral Resource for which quantity, grade (or quality), densities, shape, and physical characteristics are estimated with confidence sufficient to allow the application of Modifying Factors to support detailed mine planning and final evaluation of the economic viability of the deposit. Geological evidence is derived from detailed and reliable exploration, sampling and testing gathered through appropriate techniques from locations such as outcrops, trenches, pits, workings and drill holes, and is sufficient to confirm geological and grade (or quality) continuity between points of observation where data and samples are gathered. A Measured Mineral Resource has a higher level of confidence than that applying to either an Indicated Mineral Resource or an Inferred Mineral Resource. It may be converted to a Proved Ore Reserve or under certain circumstances to a Probable Ore Reserve.
Modifying Factors
‘Modifying Factors’ are considerations used to convert Mineral Resources to Ore Reserves. These include, but are not restricted to, mining, processing, metallurgical, infrastructure, economic, marketing, legal, environmental, social and governmental factors.
Ore Reserve
An ‘Ore Reserve’ is the economically mineable part of a Measured and/or Indicated Mineral Resource. It includes diluting materials and allowances for losses, which may occur when the material is mined or extracted and is defined by studies at Pre-Feasibility or Feasibility level as appropriate that include application of Modifying Factors. Such studies demonstrate that, at the time of reporting, extraction could reasonably be justified.
Probable Ore Reserve
A ‘Probable Ore Reserve’ is the economically mineable part of an Indicated, and in some circumstances, a Measured Mineral Resource. The confidence in the Modifying Factors applying to a Probable Ore Reserve is lower than that applying to a Proved Ore Reserve.
Proved Ore Reserve
A ‘Proved Ore Reserve’ is the economically mineable part of a Measured Mineral Resource. A Proved Ore Reserve implies a high degree of confidence in the Modifying Factors.
Appendix 2. National Classification System
The following terminology and definitions are used in Australia’s National Classification System for Identified Mineral Resources.
Resource
A concentration of naturally occurring solid, liquid, or gaseous materials in or on the Earth’s crust and in such form that its economic extraction is presently or potentially (within a 20-25 year timeframe) feasible.
Identified Resource
A specific body of mineral-bearing material whose location, quantity and quality are known from specific measurements or estimates from geological evidence for which economic extraction is presently or potentially (within a 20-25 year timeframe) feasible.
To reflect degrees of geological assurance, Identified Resources can be divided into Measured Resources, Indicated Resources and Inferred Resources where Measured Resources have the most geological confidence and Inferred Resources the least. The National Classification System’s definitions for Measured, Indicated and Inferred Resources are consistent with those of the JORC Code.
Under the JORC Code, with the application of Modifying Factors and mine planning, Measured Resources can be converted into Proved Ore Reserves or Probable Ore Reserves and Indicated Resources can be converted into Probable Ore Reserves.
Demonstrated Resource
A collective term for the sum of Measured and Indicated Resources, including Proved and Probable Ore Reserves.
Economic
This term implies that, at the time of determination, profitable extraction or production under defined investment assumptions has been established, analytically demonstrated, or assumed with reasonable certainty.
Economic Demonstrated Resource (EDR)
A Demonstrated Resource that is regarded as economic under the definition above. The EDR category provides a long-term view of what is likely to be available for mining (potential supply). It does not include Inferred Resources which do not have enough geological confidence to support mine planning. For shorter-term, commercial viewpoints of the economic category see Table 1 (Ore Reserves and Mineral Resources at Operating Mines) and Table 2 (Australia's Ore Reserves).
Subeconomic
This term refers to those resources that are geologically demonstrated but which do not meet the criteria of Economic at the time of determination. Subeconomic Resources include paramarginal and submarginal categories:
- Paramarginal: That part of Subeconomic Resources which, at the time of determination, could be produced given postulated limited increases in commodity prices or cost-reducing advances in technology. The main characteristics of this category are economic uncertainty and/or failure (albeit just) to meet the criteria of economic.
- Submarginal: That part of Subeconomic Resources that would require a substantially higher commodity price or major cost-reducing advance in technology to render them economic.
Accessible Economic Demonstrated Resource (AEDR)
Some resources have enough geological confidence to be considered a Demonstrated Resource and, in normal circumstances, would also be regarded as economic but they are not currently available for development because of legal and/or land-use restrictions. They are included in EDR but not in AEDR.
Appendix 3. Additional Tables
Table 7
Table 7. Comparisons of EDR of commodities at Australian mines to total EDR as at December 2024.
| Commodity | Unit | EDR | Number of | Percentage of EDR | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deposits with EDR | Operating Mines with EDR | All Mines with EDR | Operating Mines | All Mines | Other Deposits | |||
| Bauxite | Mt | 3,969 | 20 | 9 | 10 | 82% | 82% | 18% |
| Black Coal, recoverable | Mt | 72,985 | 261 | 95 | 106 | 49% | 50% | 50% |
| Brown coal | Mt | 74,039 | 36 | 2 | 2 | 3% | 3% | 97% |
| Cobalt | kt Co | 1,697 | 116 | 5 | 23 | 17% | 38% | 62% |
| Copper | Mt Cu | 108.02 | 253 | 24 | 44 | 77% | 81% | 19% |
| Gold | t Au | 12,955 | 800 | 141 | 234 | 65% | 72% | 28% |
| Graphite | Mt | 22.6 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0% | 28% | 72% |
| Iron Ore | Mt | 58,522 | 89 | 53 | 66 | 58% | 71% | 29% |
| Lead | Mt Pb | 34.61 | 87 | 13 | 24 | 77% | 83% | 17% |
| Lithium | kt Li | 8,799 | 19 | 8 | 10 | 91% | 94% | 6% |
| Magnesite | Mt MgCO3 | 354 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 23% | 23% | 77% |
| Manganese Ore | Mt | 675 | 15 | 3 | 6 | 40% | 42% | 58% |
| Mineral Sands | ||||||||
| Ilmenite | Mt | 308.3 | 83 | 12 | 29 | 33% | 41% | 59% |
| Rutile | Mt | 42.2 | 59 | 7 | 8 | 19% | 30% | 70% |
| Zircon | Mt | 89.7 | 82 | 9 | 13 | 30% | 47% | 53% |
| Nickel | Mt Ni | 24.7 | 118 | 13 | 30 | 31% | 48% | 52% |
| Rare earths | Mt oxide | 7.36 | 30 | 2 | 11 | 33% | 71% | 29% |
| Silver | kt Ag | 85.37 | 175 | 17 | 35 | 60% | 69% | 31% |
| Tungsten | kt W | 568 | 15 | 3 | 4 | 26% | 27% | 73% |
| Uranium | kt U | 1,283 | 32 | 3 | 3 | 82% | 82% | 18% |
| Zinc | Mt Zn | 61.76 | 108 | 14 | 26 | 80% | 83% | 17% |
Abbreviations
t = tonne; kt = kilotonnes (1,000 t); Mt = million tonnes (1,000,000 t).
Where an element symbol follows the unit it refers to contained metal content.
Notes
All Mines = mines that are currently operating, placed on care and maintenance or under development.
'Deposits with EDR’ is inclusive of the mines.
Table 8
Table 8. Comparisons of Ore Reserves of commodities to total EDR and AEDR as at December 2024.
| Commodity | Unit | Ore Reserves | EDR | AEDR | Ore Reserves/EDR (%) | Ore Reserves/AEDR (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bauxite | Mt | 1,783 | 3,912 | 3,912 | 46% | 46% |
| Black Coal, recoverable | Mt | 12,706 | 72,985 | 72,337 | 17% | 18% |
| Cobalt | kt Co | 644 | 1,697 | 1,697 | 38% | 38% |
| Copper | Mt Cu | 25.02 | 108.02 | 108.02 | 23% | 23% |
| Gold | t Au | 4,785 | 12,955 | 12,946 | 37% | 37% |
| Graphite | Mt | 5.4 | 22.6 | 22.6 | 24% | 24% |
| Iron Ore | Mt | 23,217 | 58,522 | 58,522 | 40% | 40% |
| Lead | Mt Pb | 9.78 | 34.61 | 34.61 | 28% | 28% |
| Lithium | kt Li | 4,601 | 8,799 | 8,799 | 52% | 52% |
| Magnesite | Mt MgCO3 | 0 | 354 | 354 | n.a. | n.a. |
| Manganese Ore | Mt | 119 | 675 | 675 | 19% | 19% |
| Mineral Sands | ||||||
| Ilmenite | Mt | 73.7 | 308.3 | 272.2 | 24% | 27% |
| Rutile | Mt | 12.6 | 42.2 | 36.8 | 30% | 34% |
| Zircon | Mt | 32.5 | 89.7 | 82.1 | 36% | 40% |
| Molybdenum | kt | 259 | 894 | 894 | 29% | 29% |
| Nickel | Mt Ni | 7.8 | 24.7 | 24.7 | 32% | 32% |
| PGE | t metal | 0.4 | 527.6 | 527.6 | <1% | <1% |
| Rare Earths | Mt oxide | 3.79 | 7.36 | 7.36 | 51% | 51% |
| Scandium | kt Sc | 11.65 | 43.24 | 43.24 | 27% | 27% |
| Silver | kt Ag | 22.13 | 85.37 | 85.37 | 26% | 26% |
| Tin | kt Sn | 212 | 702 | 702 | 30% | 30% |
| Tungsten | kt W | 218 | 568 | 568 | 38% | 38% |
| Uranium | kt U | 329 | 1,283 | 1,280 | 26% | 26% |
| Vanadium | kt V | 1,683 | 10,173 | 10,173 | 17% | 17% |
| Zinc | Mt Zn | 18.33 | 61.76 | 61.76 | 30% | 30% |
Abbreviations
t = tonne; kt = kilotonnes (1,000 t); Mt = million tonnes (1,000,000 t).
Where an element symbol follows the unit it refers to contained metal content.
EDR = Economic Demonstrated Resources. AEDR = Accessible Economic Demonstrated Resources.
Table 9
Table 9. Distribution of EDR of commodities in Australia as at December 2024.
| Commodity | Unit | EDR | Number of | Percentage of EDR in largest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deposits | Deposits with EDR | 10 deposits | 20 deposits | |||
| Bauxite | Mt | 3,969 | 39 | 20 (51%) | 99% | 100% |
| Black Coal, recoverable | Mt | 72,985 | 351 | 261 (74%) | 31% | 45% |
| Brown Coal, recoverable | Mt | 74,039 | 73 | 36 (49%) | 59% | 85% |
| Cobalt | kt Co | 1,697 | 192 | 116 (60%) | 56% | 73% |
| Copper | Mt Cu | 108.02 | 438 | 253 (58%) | 79% | 87% |
| Gold | t Au | 12,955 | 1,424 | 800 (56%) | 46% | 57% |
| Iron Ore | Mt | 58,522 | 271 | 89 (33%) | 68% | 87% |
| Lead | Mt Pb | 34.61 | 163 | 87(53%) | 85% | 93% |
| Lithium | kt Li | 8,799 | 25 | 19 (76%) | 97% | 100% |
| Magnesite | Mt MgCO3 | 354 | 37 | 13 (35%) | 97% | 100% |
| Manganese Ore | Mt | 675 | 48 | 15 (31%) | 98% | 100% |
| Mineral Sands | ||||||
| Ilmenite | Mt | 308.3 | 179 | 83 (46%) | 62% | 80% |
| Rutile | Mt | 42.2 | 162 | 59 (36%) | 70% | 89% |
| Zircon | Mt | 89.7 | 179 | 82 (46%) | 72% | 90% |
| Molybdenum | kt | 894 | 39 | 18 (46%) | 96% | 100% |
| Nickel | Mt Ni | 24.7 | 200 | 118 (59%) | 60% | 82% |
| Rare Earths | Mt oxide | 7.36 | 173 | 30 (17%) | 85% | 97% |
| Scandium | kt Sc | 43.24 | 24 | 14 (58%) | 95% | 100% |
| Silver | kt Ag | 85.37 | 294 | 175 (60%) | 69% | 82% |
| Tin | kt Sn | 702 | 58 | 19 (33%) | 97% | 100% |
| Tungsten | kt W | 568 | 32 | 15 (47%) | 99% | 100% |
| Uranium | kt U | 1,283 | 95 | 32 (34%) | 95% | 99% |
| Vanadium | kt V | 10,173 | 41 | 15 (37%) | 94% | 100% |
| Zinc | Mt Zn | 61.76 | 186 | 108 (58%) | 81% | 89% |
Abbreviations
t = tonne; kt = kilotonnes (1,000 t); Mt = million tonnes (1,000,000 t).
Where an element symbol follows the unit it refers to contained metal content.
EDR = Economic Demonstrated Resources.
Notes
For classification as a mineral deposit there must be, at a minimum, an Inferred Resource compliant with the JORC Code (or equivalent) or, in some cases, a historical (pre-JORC) resource estimate.
Table 10
Table 10. Export value ($million) of mineral commodities, resources and energy, merchandise and goods and services, 2015 to 2024.
| Category | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total Mineral Exports | 140,885 | 150,186 | 178,999 | 201,208 | 233,772 | 231,233 | 295,088 | 361,890 | 343,038 | 307,862 |
| Total Resources and Energy Exports | 166,131 | 175,645 | 213,046 | 257,304 | 296,859 | 278,248 | 359,988 | 473,016 | 436,412 | 394,856 |
| Total Merchandise Exports | 250,334 | 259,071 | 301,998 | 345,468 | 390,579 | 364,472 | 460,114 | 596,183 | 559,288 | 516,997 |
| Total Goods and Services Exports | 323,136 | 336,894 | 386,677 | 438,284 | 492,684 | 436,302 | 519,512 | 670,552 | 672,588 | 644,429 |
Notes
Total mineral exports includes: metallic minerals, energy minerals (coal and uranium), gemstones, mineral sands and refined minerals (concentrates, bullion, ingot metals).
Source
Office of the Chief Economist (Resources and Energy Quarterly September 2025).
Table 11
Table 11. Australian export volume and values of mineral and metal commodities 2024.
| Commodity | Export volume | Unit | Export earnings ($million) | Value ($/t or $/c) | Percentage of total mineral export earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | |||||
| Bauxite | 42,562 | kt | 2,496 | 59 | 0.8% |
| Alumina | 14,949 | kt | 10,559 | 706 | 3.4% |
| Ingot Metal | 1,469 | kt | 5,601 | 3,813 | 1.8% |
| Black Coal | |||||
| Metallurgical | 152,906 | kt | 49,102 | 321 | 15.9% |
| Thermal | 208,936 | kt | 36,023 | 172 | 11.7% |
| Copper | |||||
| Ore and Concentrates | 1,282 | kt | 6,512 | 5,080 | 2.1% |
| Refined | 394 | kt | 5,357 | 13,596 | 1.7% |
| Diamonds | |||||
| Unsorted | 0 | c | 0 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Sorted Gem | 30,412 | c | 125 | 4,110 | minor |
| Gold – Refined | 238 | t | 35,695 | 149,978,992 | 11.6% |
| Iron | |||||
| Ore | 901,661 | kt | 124,546 | 138 | 40.5% |
| Crude Steel | 1,071 | kt | 1,336 | 1,247 | 0.4% |
| Scrap | 2,310 | kt | 1,517 | 657 | 0.5% |
| Lead | |||||
| Concentrates | 374 | kt | 928 | 2,481 | 0.3% |
| Refined | 161 | kt | 524 | 3,255 | 0.2% |
| Bullion | 112 | kt | 504 | 4,500 | 0.2% |
| Lithium | |||||
| Ore and Concentrates | 3,961 | kt | 4,847 | 1,224 | 1.6% |
| Refined | 14.0 | kt | 248 | 17,714 | 0.1% |
| Nickel1 | |||||
| Ore and Concentrates | 66 | kt | 181 | 2,742 | 0.1% |
| Refined and Intermediate | 108 | kt | 2,330 | 21,574 | 0.8% |
| Silver – Refined | 307 | t | 638 | 2,078,176 | 0.2% |
| Tin – concentrate | 21,923 | t | 478 | 21,804 | 0.2% |
| Uranium – Oxide (U3O8) | 5,473 | t | 1,272 | 232,414 | 0.4% |
| Zinc | |||||
| Concentrates | 1,692 | kt | 2,216 | 1,310 | 0.7% |
| Refined | 399 | kt | 1,735 | 4,348 | 0.6% |
Notes
Total mineral exports earnings in 2024 were $307,862 million (see Table 10).
Source
Office of the Chief Economist (Resources and Energy Quarterly September 2025).
- Nickel export data is sourced from Office of the Chief Economist (Resources and Energy Quarterly December 2025).
Table 12
Table 12. Changes in Australian mineral and metal export volumes, earnings and values from 2023 to 2024, along with percentage share of export earnings in 2023 and 2024.
| Commodity | Export volume (%) | Export earnings (%) | Value per unit (%) | Percentage of total mineral export earnings 2023 | Percentage of total mineral export earnings 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminium | |||||
| Bauxite | 14% | 49% | 31% | 0.5% | 0.8% |
| Alumina | -8% | 27% | 38% | 2.4% | 3.4% |
| Ingot Metal | 1% | 9% | 8% | 1.5% | 1.8% |
| Black Coal | |||||
| Metallurgical | 1% | -14% | -15% | 16.6% | 15.9% |
| Thermal | 3% | -22% | -25% | 13.5% | 11.7% |
| Copper | |||||
| Ore and Concentrates | -7% | -2% | 5% | 1.9% | 2.1% |
| Refined | -2% | 7% | 9% | 1.5% | 1.7% |
| Diamonds | |||||
| Unsorted | -100% | -100% | -100% | minor | 0.0% |
| Sorted Gem | -33% | -64% | -45% | 0.1% | minor |
| Gold – Refined | -4% | 26% | 31% | 8.3% | 11.6% |
| Iron | |||||
| Ore | 1% | -9% | -10% | 39.7% | 40.5% |
| Crude Steel | 0% | 5% | 6% | 0.4% | 0.4% |
| Scrap | 13% | 19% | 5% | 0.4% | 0.5% |
| Lead | |||||
| Concentrates | 8% | 15% | 7% | 0.2% | 0.3% |
| Refined | 25% | 14% | -9% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Bullion | -7% | 0% | 7% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Lithium | |||||
| Ore and Concentrates | 11% | -74% | -77% | 5.5% | 1.6% |
| Refined | 900% | 481% | -42% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| Nickel | |||||
| Ore and Concentrates | -63% | -79% | -6% | 0.2% | 0.1% |
| Refined and Intermediate | -24% | -42% | -24% | 1.2% | 0.8% |
| Silver - Refined | 158% | 173% | 6% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Tin – metal content | 23% | 47% | 19% | 0.1% | 0.2% |
| Uranium – Oxide (U3O8) | 14% | 40% | 23% | 0.3% | 0.4% |
| Zinc | |||||
| Ore and Concentrates | -16% | 4% | 23% | 0.6% | 0.7% |
| Refined | -9% | -9% | 0% | 0.6% | 0.6% |
Notes
Total mineral exports earnings in 2024 were $307,862 million (see Table 10). Minor refers to changes of less than 0.1%.
Source
Office of the Chief Economist (Resources and Energy Quarterly September 2025).
Appendix 4. Australian Operating Mines and Critical Minerals Maps
Figure A4.21. Map of Australian mines in 2024. This map and the larger, more detailed, Australian Operating Mines Map 2024 are available for download from Geoscience Australia’s website: pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/150112
Figure A4.2. Map of Australian critical mineral deposits in 2024. This map and the larger, more detailed, Australian Critical Minerals Map 2024 are available for download from Geoscience Australia’s website: pid.geoscience.gov.au/dataset/ga/150107
Appendix 5. Information for Investors
Australia’s vibrant resources sector benefits from the strong support provided by industry representative organisations, world-leading research institutions, and government initiatives that help keep Australia’s resources sector strong, advance developing projects and stimulate new discoveries. This appendix provides a useful overview of government organisations in Australia with mineral resources responsibilities (Table 13 and Table 14); government strategies that support the development of the mining sector (Table 15); government incentives and support for minerals investment at both federal (Table 16) and state level (Table 17); relevant government research initiatives (Table 18); key minerals publications for investors (Table 19); and a directory of industry representative organisations in Australia (Table 20).
Table 13
Table 13. Directory of Australian Government entities with mineral resources responsibilities.
| Federal Government1 | Role |
|---|---|
| Austrade | Austrade is the government’s lead trade and investment facilitation agency. It supports the resources sector by developing commercial partnerships to connect Australia with trade partners and target markets. |
| Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO) | Supporting the development and characterisation of materials with consultancy, process development and research services to industry. |
| Australian Taxation Office (ATO) | Australia’s principal revenue collection agency. The ATO administers tax schemes that impact mineral and petroleum exploration, development and production. |
| Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) | CSIRO is one of the largest minerals research groups in the world, it partners with industry, government and the research sector to deliver breakthrough innovation across the minerals value chain. |
| Critical Minerals Office (CMO) | The government’s central coordination point to help grow Australia’s critical minerals sector and position Australia globally as a secure and reliable supplier of critical minerals. |
| Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) | The department protects Australia’s natural environment and heritage sites, helps Australia respond to climate change and carefully manages our water and energy resources. The department has been established to deliver on the Government’s climate change and energy agenda and protect Australia’s environment and water resources. |
| Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) | The department promotes and protects Australia’s international interests to support Australia’s security and prosperity. DFAT works with international partners and other countries to tackle global challenges and increase trade and investment opportunities, including supporting the implementation of the Australian Critical Minerals Strategy. |
| Department of Home Affairs (DHA) | Administers a range of temporary and permanent visa options for business personnel, investors and skilled workers. The department also has carriage of Australia’s tariff and customs duties. |
| Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) | Provides policy and program development to support Australian industry, science, resources, energy, emissions reduction and small and family business functions. Supports the resources sector through a variety of initiatives including funding, investment vehicles, and programs. |
| Foreign Investment Review Board (FIRB) | A non-statutory advisory body established to advise the Treasurer and the Government on foreign investment matters and provide information on foreign investment approval requirements for investing in Australia. |
| Geoscience Australia | Geoscience Australia maximises benefits from Australia’s wealth of mineral resources. It provides geoscience data, expertise and analysis, and stimulates mineral exploration and investment. |
| Investor Front Door | Designed to improve Australia's investment environment by streamlining how investors and business interact with the government, helping them navigate approvals processes and fast‑track major projects where possible. |
| Major Projects Facilitation Agency (MPFA) | For major projects worth over $50 million, MPFA provides assistance to help navigate through Australia’s regulation and approval process. |
| Office of the Chief Economist (OCE) | Provides independent economic research, data, analysis and advice on issues affecting Australia’s energy and resource sectors. |
Notes
- The Australian Government sets national policy including fiscal, monetary and taxation policy, foreign investment guidelines, immigration, competition policy, trade and customs, company law, international agreements, native title and regulates operations in offshore waters.
Table 14
Table 14. Directory of state, territory and local government entities with mineral resources responsibilities.
| State and Territory Governments1 | Role |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory Government | Chief Minister, Treasury and Economic Development Directorate |
| Government of South Australia | Department for Energy and Mining |
| Government of Tasmania | Department of State Growth – Mineral Resources Tasmania |
| Government of Victoria | Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action – Resources Victoria |
| Government of Western Australia | Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration – Geological Survey of Western Australia |
| New South Wales Government | Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development – NSW Resources |
| Northern Territory Government | Department of Mining and Energy – The Northern Territory Geological Survey |
| Queensland Government | Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development |
| Local Governments2 | Role |
| Australia has >500 local government councils. | Responsible for regulating services and activities for their region or district. |
Notes
- State and Territory Governments manage and allocate mineral and petroleum property rights onshore and in coastal waters, have primary responsibility for land administration, regulating operations (including environmental and occupational health and safety) and collecting royalties on the minerals produced.
- Local Governments operate at city, town or shire/district level and have responsibility for handling community needs such as local roads, waste collection, public recreation facilities and town planning.
Table 15
Table 15. Government strategies that support resources development.
| Federal | |
|---|---|
| Future Made in Australia | The Future Made in Australia agenda is a $22.7 billion, 10-year, federal investment to strengthen domestic industry and sovereign capability by accelerating investment in priority sectors critical to economic resilience, national security and the net zero transition. |
| Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve | A $1.2 billion government program to secure and manage strategic access to critical minerals, strengthening supply chain resilience and attracting investment. |
| Critical Minerals Strategy 2023–2030 | Australia’s Critical Minerals Strategy 2023-2030 is a national plan to grow Australia’s critical minerals sector, to position Australia as a reliable supplier of critical minerals needed for clean energy, advanced technology applications and national security. |
| National Battery Strategy | Outlines how the Australian Government will support our domestic battery industry to advance the net zero energy transition and create investment opportunities across the value chain. |
| National Hydrogen Strategy | Sets out the plan to develop Australia’s hydrogen industry by advancing the production, use and export of hydrogen to support energy decarbonisation and economic growth. |
| New South Wales | |
| Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy 2024–35 | Sets out the NSW Government’s vision to drive global investment and grow the critical minerals and high-tech metals sector. |
| Northern Territory | |
| Northern Territory Mineral Industry Plan - Pathway to 2030 | Articulates the NT Government’s vision and commitment to strategically optimising the Territory’s mineral resources in an economically, environmentally and culturally sustainable manner. |
| Queensland | |
| Critical Minerals Strategy | The strategy outlines 4 key objectives: move faster, smarter, maximise investment, build value chains, foster research and ESG excellence. |
| Tasmania | |
| Tasmanian Critical Minerals Strategy | Outlines a roadmap to drive discovery, extraction, processing, and utilisation of critical minerals. |
| Victoria | |
| Victorian Critical Minerals Roadmap | A plan to support the emerging critical minerals industry in Victoria and to build community confidence in its development. |
| Western Australia | |
| Western Australia’s Battery and Critical Mineral Strategy 2024–2030 | The Western Australian Government’s vision to develop its value-adding battery and critical minerals industries. |
Table 16
Table 16. Australian Government incentives to support minerals investment in Australia.
| Federal | |
|---|---|
| Battery Breakthrough Initiative | A $500 million fund to promote the development of battery manufacturing capabilities in Australia, to improve supply chain resilience and commercialise battery manufacturing processes or technologies that support emissions reduction. |
| Clean Energy Finance Corporation | Invests in technologies to generate, store, manage and transmit clean energy. Investments in large-scale projects and funds are generally from $20 million and above and usually include capital from co-investors. Provide discounted finance for smaller scale asset finance projects via co-financiers. These are usually from $10,000 to $5 million. |
| Critical Minerals Facility | A $4 billion financing facility delivered by Export Finance Australia providing financial expertise and solutions to support Australian critical minerals projects and related infrastructure. It offers loans, loan guarantees, bonds and working capital, designed to complement commercial financing and help businesses move into downstream processing to strengthen critical minerals supply chains. |
| Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive | A targeted production tax incentive to support onshore processing and refining of critical minerals in Australia. Provides eligible recipients with a refundable tax offset of 10% of the eligible costs of processing certain critical minerals in Australia. The offset will be available between 1 July 2027 and 30 June 2040, for a maximum of 10 years. |
| Export Finance Australia (EFA) | Export Finance Australia provides commercial finance for exporting businesses and Indo-Pacific infrastructure development, including those businesses involved with the critical minerals supply chain. EFA financial instruments include direct loans, guarantees and bonds, insurance products, including credit insurance and political risk insurance and project and buyer finance. |
| Future Made in Australia Innovation Fund | Administered by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, this $1.5 billion program provides grant funding focussed on renewable energy and low-emission technologies critical to Australia’s renewable energy transition, helping unlock commercial-scale production of green metals. |
| Green Aluminium Production Credit | The $2 billion Green Aluminium Production Credit, available from 2028–29, will support Australia’s aluminium smelters to transition to renewable electricity, helping position Australian aluminium as some of the greenest in the world. |
| Green Iron Investment Fund | The $1 billion Green Iron Investment Fund will boost green iron manufacturing and supply chains by supporting early mover green iron projects. |
| Major Projects Facilitation Agency (MPFA) | Provides information and help with regulatory approvals for major projects in Australia (projects over $20 million). |
| National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC) | $15 billion fund, established to support 7 priority areas of the Australian economy including value-add in resources, renewables and low emission technologies, and manufacturing technologies and products. The NRFC can provide finance in the form of debt, equity and guarantees to support Australian projects that drive high-value industry transformation. Current investments include the Nolans Rare Earths Project in the Northern Territory and the Kathleen Valley Lithium Project in Western Australia. |
| Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF) | Provides concessional loans for the development of infrastructure projects in northern Australia and the Australian Indian Ocean Territories. Projects must meet the mandatory criteria outlined in NAIF’s Investment Mandate. As of July 2025, NAIF has committed $4.3 billion in loans across 32 projects in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory. |
Table 17
Table 17. State and Northern Territory incentives and support for minerals investment.
| New South Wales | |
|---|---|
| NSW Critical Minerals Royalty Deferral Scheme | This opt-in scheme offers a unique opportunity for critical mineral projects to advance by providing temporary financial relief offered by the deferral of royalty payments for a period of five years (applications open to 30 June 2030). |
| NSW Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Exploration Program | The Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Exploration Program encourages exploration in NSW by investing $2.5 million over the next two years to co-fund successful applicants to undertake drilling, geophysics and geochemistry. |
| NSW Government Mining Concierge | Our team support mineral resource investment in NSW, with a strong focus on critical minerals and high-tech metals. |
| Northern Territory | |
| Resourcing the Territory | Provides pre-competitive geoscience, investment attraction and exploration stimulus programs designed to increase exploration activity, drive success rates, and open up new areas of the Territory for exploration. |
| Exploration Grants | The Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations program co-funds industry exploration programs to advance geological understanding and resource development in the Territory. |
| Queensland | |
| Critical Minerals Queensland (CMQ) | CMQ is the Queensland Government’s central point for industry, governments, investors, and the community to engage on critical minerals and resource opportunities. CMQ aims to advance Queensland’s vertically integrated critical minerals supply chain by consulting directly with upstream proponents, midstream processors, refiners and downstream manufacturers to understand what inputs, infrastructure and investment is needed. |
| Collaborative Exploration Initiative | A$17.5 million available until June 2027 to support Queensland’s exploration companies to make discoveries. |
| Collaborative Development Program | Offers funding to recover remaining mineralisation found in mine waste. |
| Queensland Resources Common User Facility | The Queensland Government is delivering common user infrastructure at the Cleveland Bay Industrial Park in Townsville to support the development, extraction and production of critical minerals. |
| Queensland Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund | A $150 million initiative supporting Australian businesses to enhance the extraction and processing of critical minerals in Queensland. Includes Government grants of up to $2 million and Government equity and/or debt investment up to $30 million for growth-stage businesses looking to scale-up activity. |
| South Australia | |
| Critical Minerals South Australia | A project focused on advancing knowledge to support critical minerals discovery and exploration in South Australia. Links to detailed reports on the potential for critical minerals in South Australia (one commodity per report). |
| Sedimentary Copper Mineral Systems | A joint project with CSIRO to develop a robust model and understanding of the basin architecture of the Stuart Shelf to guide exploration for sedimentary copper in this area. |
| SA Discovery Mapping Project | A project modernising the capture, management, delivery, and scope of South Australia’s precompetitive geological map datasets. |
| SARIG Core Intelligence Program | Expanding South Australia’s global geoscience information leadership by ‘exploring’ and transforming the physical resources (like drill cores) into a digital intelligence library. |
| Magnetite South Australia | A study focusing on demonstrating the quality and resource potential of South Australia’s magnetite resources. |
| Tasmania | |
| Office of the Coordinator General | The Office of the Coordinator–General acts as a central point for investors and coordinates across government to streamline approvals and enable strategic growth. |
| Exploration Drilling Grant Initiative | Grants for co-funded exploration drilling projects to stimulate greenfield exploration in Tasmania, especially for minerals included on the Australian Government’s Critical Minerals List. |
| Critical Minerals Strategy | $3 million in funding over 3 years for research and initiatives to support critical minerals discoveries and development in Tasmania. This program is administered by Minerals Resources Tasmania. |
| TIGER system | Tasmanian Information on Geoscience and Exploration Resources (TIGER) system is a database that captures, maintains, integrates and delivers high-quality geoscientific information of our regions. It is a one-stop-shop for accessing all Tasmania’s pre-competitive data. |
| 3D geological and geophysical modelling initiatives | 3D geological models are available as precompetitive data for prospective areas in the northwest and northeast of the State. |
| Victoria | |
| Victorian Critical Minerals Coordination Office | Office developed under Theme 2 of the Critical Minerals Roadmap, to assist development of the Victorian Critical Minerals Sector. |
| Western Australia | |
| Invest & Trade WA | To assist investors and businesses to engage with established industries to make it easier to do business in and with Western Australia. |
| Strategic Industries Fund (SIF) | A $1 billion fund allocated over 10 years to unlock Strategic Industrial Areas across Western Australia delivering infrastructure to support renewable hydrogen, critical minerals, and other job-creating industries. |
| Critical Minerals Advanced Processing Common- User Facility (CMAP) | The CMAP facility proposes to home pilot plant equipment for small and medium-sized businesses to undertake downstream processing of critical minerals and strategic materials at demonstration scale, reducing capital costs for midstream processors. |
| Investment Attraction Fund (IAF) | Supporting innovation through the IAF specialised “New Energies Industries Funding Stream” which was created to accelerate innovation, scale-up commercial potential and expand local manufacturing capacity in battery and critical minerals, renewable hydrogen, solar, wind and carbon capture. |
| Industry Assistance Packages | Supporting industry growth, investment opportunities and encouraging innovation. |
| Exploration Incentive Scheme | Co-funding for exploration activities in Western Australia. |
| Geoscience Data Transformation Program | Will deliver a range of technical, operational, and strategic improvements to the Geological Survey of Western Australia’s geoscience data. |
| WA Array | A 10-year passive seismic data collection program across Western Australia. |
Table 18
Table 18. Australian research initiatives supporting the development of the mining sector.
| National | |
|---|---|
| Australian Critical Minerals Research & Development Hub | The Hub brings together expertise from the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Geoscience Australia, and the CSIRO. The Hub is working with industry, universities and the research community, to address technical challenges and drive collaborative research across the critical minerals value chain. |
| ARC Centre of Excellence for Enabling Eco-Efficient Beneficiation of Minerals (COEMinerals) | A national research centre, funded by the Australian Research Council Centres of Excellence funding scheme, to address key industry and environmental challenges associated with mineral processing. The Centre comprises 9 Australian universities. |
| Carbon capture utilisation and storage CRC (CO2CRC) | A world leader in carbon capture, utilisation and storage research that aims to be a leading source of decarbonisation technologies, recognised for generating innovative emission reduction solutions. |
| CRC for Transformations in Mining Economies (CRC TiME) | Aims to transform post-mine transitions by deploying innovative research that addresses the complex challenges underpinning mine closure and relinquishment. |
| Future Energy Exports CRC | Established to future-proof energy exports through industrial-scale research and innovation. Executes cutting-edge, industry-led research, education and training to help decarbonise Australian LNG while also establishing the capacity to export clean Hydrogen. |
| MinEx CRC | MinEx CRC is focused on a new set of exploration tools and new ways to deploy those tools that recognise the fundamental importance of collecting quantity and quality data from the subsurface. MinEx CRC is developing new technologies for collecting data while drilling. |
| Powering Australia | A federally funded national industry growth centre dedicated to strengthening Australia’s clean technology manufacturing sector. |
| Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity | Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity is a 35-year, $3.4 billion precompetitive geoscience initiative, led by Geoscience Australia, to accelerate the discovery and development of critical minerals and other resources, to support Australia’s net zero transition and enable responsible management of all resources. |
| South Australia | |
| SA-H2H Hydrogen Technology Cluster | The home of hydrogen technology collaboration in South Australia, where members work together to build market scale links between hydrogen projects targeting domestic and export markets. |
| CORE Innovation Hub | Works with start-ups, SMEs, researchers, suppliers and industry partners to connect and collaborate across the mining, resources and energy sectors. |
| Australian Critical Minerals Research Centre | World-renowned for expertise in novel isotope geochemistry, mineral geochemistry and geophysics, which it is using to develop new exploration tools; boost understanding of critical mineral ores and mineral chemistry; and provide research that is commercialised by industry. |
| Tasmania | |
| Centre for Ore Deposit and Earth Sciences (CODES) | CODES, the Centre for Ore Deposit and Earth Sciences, is a globally recognized ore deposit research centre based at the University of Tasmania focusing on mineral exploration, geoscience, and sustainable mining practices. CODES offers an industry partners program where it can cater to the research and training needs of individuals through to major multinationals. |
| The Mornington Core Library and Laboratories | Industry professionals, universities and research institutions can access these materials for viewing and sampling, supported by cutting, analytical facilities (including HyLogger Service), geological databases and workspaces. |
| Western Australia | |
| Mineral Research Institute of Western Australia | MRIWA conducts applied minerals research projects to create capability and deliver economic and social benefit to Western Australia. |
Table 19
Table 19. Key publications for project investment opportunities.
| Federal | |
|---|---|
| Australian Critical Minerals Prospectus | Showcasing investment-ready, critical minerals projects around Australia, including geological, financial, and technical data. |
| Victoria | |
| Key resource opportunities | Outlines key resource opportunities for critical minerals, base metals and gold. |
| Current mineral projects and selected occurrences | Map of current mineral projects and selected occurrences in Victoria. |
| New South Wales | |
| NSW minerals and metals projects | A list of NSW critical minerals and high-tech metals projects at various stages of development. |
| Northern Territory | |
| Critical Minerals in the Northern Territory 2025 | Provides a comprehensive inventory of the Northern Territory’s current known critical mineral resources. The guide includes investment and exploration information for both established and emerging projects. |
| Northern Territory Developing Projects | The Northern Territory has a strong pipeline of developing mining projects, at various stages of the approvals or financing process. |
| Northern Territory investment opportunities | Page links to investing in exploration, investing in existing or developing projects, and investment services. |
| Queensland | |
| Queensland Critical Minerals Prospectus | Includes a non-exhaustive list of Queensland critical mineral projects seeking investment partners. The prospectus is available English, Korean, Japanese and Indonesian. |
| Queensland Critical Minerals Investor Hub | An online tool that connects potential investors with government agencies as well as promoting the investment opportunities available in Queensland. |
| South Australia | |
| South Australia Mineral Industry Project Pipeline | Diagram summarising projects and their stage of development. |
| South Australia’s Critical Mineral Dashboards | These dashboards provide new insights into occurrences and known resources, as well as the potential of tailings, stockpiles and waste dumps to assist exploration, promote innovation and support informed decision-making. |
| Tasmania | |
| Tasmanian Critical Minerals Strategy | Outlines a roadmap to drive discovery, extraction, processing, and utilisation of critical minerals. |
| Western Australia | |
| Resource investor information | Geoscientific information to support investment into Western Australian mining and energy resource projects. |
Table 20
Table 20. Directory of minerals-related industry representative organisations in Australia.
| Organisation | Role |
|---|---|
| AI Group – Minerals, Energy and Supply Chain Resilience | An organisation that represents and supports businesses across a wide range of sectors, including manufacturing, engineering, construction, and technology. Advocates for its members, promotes business interests at all levels of government, and provides advice, services and research. |
| Association of Mining and Exploration Companies (AMEC) | Industry association representing explorers, emerging miners, producers and associated businesses. |
| Austmine | An industry body representing the Australian mining equipment, technology and services sector. |
| Australian Institute of Geoscientists (AIG) | A professional institute representing geoscientists employed in all sectors of industry, education, research and government throughout Australia. |
| Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM) | An industry organisation that represents professionals working in the resources sector. With over 15,000 members from over 100 countries, the AusIMM is committed to supporting people working in all aspects of the mining industry. |
| Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME) | Member-funded, not-for-profit organisation association representing the resources sector in Western Australia. CME leads policy development on issues impacting the sector, promotes the value of the sector to the community, and provides an avenue for members and stakeholders to collaborate. |
| Critical Minerals Association Australia | Industry body that aims to amplify the voice of its members to build a profitable, sustainable and globally recognised critical minerals industry. |
| Industry Capability Network | An independent networking organisation that connects local suppliers and service providers to meet the requirements of local projects. |
| International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) | A leadership organization for the global mining and metals industry that works to drive improvements in sustainable development by promoting environmental and social responsibility among its members. Their goal is to make responsible mining the global standard—creating safer workplaces, reducing environmental impact, and strengthening social outcomes. |
| Melbourne Mining Club | Industry association representing the resources sector in Victoria and globally. The Melbourne Mining Club is a not-for-profit joint venture between the AusIMM and the Minerals Council of Australia. |
| Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) | Represents Australia’s exploration, mining and minerals processing industry, promoting and enhancing sustainability, profitability and competitiveness. |
| NSW Minerals Council | Industry association representing the resources sector in New South Wales, working closely with governments, industry groups and business and community leaders so member companies can continue to operate as part of a strong, responsible and sustainable mining industry. |
| Queensland Resources Council (QRC) | Industry association representing the resources sector in Queensland, advocating for a sustainable regulatory environment and promote industry leadership. |
| South Australian Chamber of Mines and Energy (SACOME) | Industry association representing resource and energy companies with interests in the South Australian resources sector, including minerals, energy, extractives and petroleum. |
| Tasmanian Minerals, Manufacturing and Energy Council (TMEC) | Represents member businesses involved in the state’s exploration, mining and mineral processing, manufacturing and energy sectors, along with companies and individuals in associated supply chains. |