FCA Briefing – CSIRO Australia’s critical minerals capabilities
Words – Marie Geissler ; Featured Graphic – Raj Suri
An exclusive media briefing hosted by the Foreign Correspondents’ Association of Australia and the South Pacific (FCA) in collaboration with CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency.
Australia plays a vital role in developing and diversifying the critical minerals supply required for the global energy transition and future technologies. However, having geological potential alone is not enough, competitiveness relies on technical capability in extraction, separation, processing, and manufacturing.
Join leading experts from CSIRO as they discuss the opportunities, technological innovations, and research underway to develop Australia’s critical minerals capabilities.
Speakers:
- Dr Chris Vernon – Chief Research Scientist, CSIRO. Specialist in critical minerals and downstream processing with over 28 years at CSIRO leading applied R&D in minerals processing and hydro metallurgy.
- Dr Mark Pearce – Research Director, Value-Added Critical Minerals Program, CSIRO. Leading expert in micro- and nano-scale geological processes and mineral resource characterisation.
Topics & Key Discussion Points
- What makes a mineral “critical”?
- Beyond raw resources: What is the opportunity for critical minerals in Australia?
- Current capabilities and R&D underway to build a robust critical minerals industry.
- What makes Australia an attractive global supplier?
- International collaborations and market opportunities.
- Q&A session with the presenters.
Topics & Background Reading
Background Reading
Release of Australia’s Identified Mineral Resources (AIMR) 2025 Report
• Critical Minerals Explained
• Australia’s Critical Minerals List and Strategic Materials List
• The Australian Critical Minerals R&D Hub 2022-2026 Research Highlights
• What makes a mineral ‘critical’? – ABC Listen
• Navigating Australia’s Critical Minerals Landscape
• Release of Australia’s Identified Mineral Resources (AIMR) 2025 Report
RSVP : Please RSVP to mariegeissler10@gmail.com and barbara@journalistenbuero-sydney.com
