Modern Manufacturing Initiative funding focuses on boosting local critical minerals sector
Australia’s critical minerals sector and the job-creating industries that rely on it are the next area of focus to be supercharged by the $1.3 billion Modern Manufacturing Initiative.
The Australian Government has announced over $243 million in support for four projects under the Collaboration Stream of the Modern Manufacturing Initiative, which will create over 3,400 jobs over time and cement Australia’s place in the rapidly growing critical minerals, electric vehicle and battery markets.
This support includes:
- $119.6 million for Pure Battery Technologies’ $399 million Western Australian pCAM Hub, in partnership with Poseidon Nickel, will build an integrated nickel manganese cobalt battery material refinery hub in the Kalgoorlie region. The site will become home to a growing workforce with 380 construction jobs and 175 initial permanent jobs from 2023.
- $49 million for a $367 million project led by Australian Vanadium, to process high-grade vanadium from its Meekatharra mine in WA and transported to its Tenindewa plant powered by clean hydrogen from partner ATCO Australia. This highly sought-after critical mineral will then be transformed into energy-storing batteries to fuel the growing domestic and overseas market, with more than 740 jobs to be supported.
- $30 million for Arafura Resources’ flagship Nolans Project near Aileron, in Central Australia, the first of its kind rare earth separation plant in Australia and only the second outside China. The $90.8 million project, located in the Northern Territory, will leverage Australia’s mineral processing expertise to develop rare earth separation technology not currently available here now, creating 650 jobs at the peak of construction and new high-value export opportunities.
- $45 million for Alpha HPA’s $330 million project with Orica to construct a high purity alumina production facility near Gladstone that will help meet the rapidly expanding demand for lithium-ion batteries and LED lights, with more than 300 jobs to be created from this year.
These projects are key to securing manufacturing in Australia and the thousands of jobs that come with those industries. They will facilitate local creation of the products and materials that Australians, and the rest of the world, need moving forward.
Australia’s regional manufacturers will play an important role in seizing this opportunity.
Minister for Industry, Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor said these projects would help us capture even more parts of the global supply chain, while at the same time helping us power our lives here at home.
"Australia is a global leader in resources technology and can build greater capacity in critical minerals processing by leveraging our vast natural resources, huge investments in R&D and proximity to the growing global market."
