Mining Queensland

The new Resources Cabinet Committee met for the first time this week, looking at solutions to improve approval timeframes and streamline processes. This is a forum that will consider policies and initiatives to maintain and improve the competitiveness of Queensland’s resources sector and the value of its supply chain. Having a dedicated Committee for one of our State’s biggest industries will ultimately help accelerate new projects and drive Queensland's resources industry forward.

Coronado Global Resources Inc. will begin operations at the Mammoth Underground steel making coal mine, located within the Curragh Mining Complex in Queensland. Until now, the Mammoth seam has remained untouched in its underground capacity since its discovery and mining in the early 1900s. The mine opening is Coranado’s entry into underground mining operations in Australia, with Mammoth set to produce high-quality metallurgical coal—essential for the steel needed for infrastructure, and for the global transition to clean energy. It’s expected to produce up to 2 million tonnes per year for export and create 259 full-time jobs over the life of the mine. Central Highlands Regional Council

The Queensland Critical Minerals ESG Advisory Panel met for the second time last week, bringing together industry leaders, academics, community and First Nations representatives, government and more to help shape a resources future that is sustainable, ethical, and future-focused. As global demand for critical minerals accelerates, ESG excellence isn’t just an advantage — it’s essential. These great minds produced plenty of insightful conversations and ideas on the topic of responsible resource development. The Advisory Panel is part of our ESG partnership with AusIMM, a key action under the Queensland Critical Minerals Strategy which focusses on building industry ESG capability and positioning Queensland as a global critical minerals leader. #ESG #criticalminerals #resourcedevelopment

The Queensland Government is working with the Bowen Basin Pit to Port Circular Consortium in a collaborative effort to improve efficiency, sustainability, and innovation across the materials value chain in this major mining precinct. Partnering with BMA Coal, Coreo, Metabolic and the Resources Centre of Excellence this initiative focuses on seeking to realise new value and uses of materials used in and produced during coal mining. We’re kicking off with three transformative projects, with targeted interviews already underway, and we will provide updates as the projects begin to progress:  🔹 Full value realisation of metallurgical coal tailings 🔹 Circularity in tungsten carbide products 🔹 Multi-mine circular resource recovery facility These “proof of concept” projects are intended to highlight the inherent economic and environmental logic in making best use of what we already have – which lies at the heart of the #circulareconomy.

Queensland projects have secured over $17 million in funding under the Australian Government's $40M International Partnerships in Critical Minerals program. Congratulations to all recipients: ✅ $3.8M to @Vecco Group: Progressing a vanadium flow battery supply chain ✅ $3M to @Graphinex: Establishing a Battery Anode Hub in Townsville to refine graphite ✅ $2.7M to @Critical Minerals Group: Advancing battery-grade vanadium electrolyte production in Townsville and Mount Isa. ✅ $8M to @Queensland Pacific Metals: Producing nickel and cobalt for clean energy projects. These investments are a game-changer for Queensland's innovation and leadership. We look forward to seeing how these projects drive Queensland’s critical minerals industry forward. https://lnkd.in/gthZAG5b

Last week, Critical Minerals Queensland (CMQ) hosted Business Critical Townsville, bringing together 40 industry and government representatives to collaborate on advancing North Queensland’s #criticalminerals sector. Hosted by CMQ’s Principal Project Officer, Krystal K., the event spotlighted industry priorities for 2025, including strategies to boost project investability through the development of common-user infrastructure. Thank you to Tim Clair (Orica) and Scott Winter (Critical Minerals Group Ltd) for their valuable insights into positioning Queensland projects as global suppliers of critical minerals. A special mention also to Jacqueline Leahy for updating us on CMQ’s social and environmental baselining study with EMM Consultants in the Julia Creek Critical Minerals Zone—an essential step towards sustainable development. Want to stay updated on future events? Email criticalminerals@resources.qld.gov.au to subscribe.

Applications for the Collaborative Exploration Initiative close at 11:59pm (AEST) this Wednesday. This is your opportunity to present innovative, technically sound programs that address critical knowledge gaps and contribute to the discovery of minerals essential for Queensland's role in global decarbonisation. Your application can help shape the future of exploration while making valuable public data available to support other explorers. Submit your application online - https://lnkd.in/gMhA66Kw

Our Geological Survey of Queensland team is eager to carry the momentum into 2025 after connecting with representatives from industry, government, and academia during our recent Digging Deeper series of events. The recordings from the full day Digging Deeper conference are now available on our Mining Queensland YouTube channel 👉 https://lnkd.in/gE48P-hJ The conference has been split across three recordings, each recording includes chapter titles to help navigate to specific presentations. Digging Deeper highlights the Geological Survey of Queensland's commitment to supporting the resources sector through advanced research, data acquisition, and collaboration. Key themes included the evolution of GSQ programs to meet the growing global demand for critical minerals, along with advancements in geophysics, geological mapping, and mineral characterisation. 📧 If you'd like to receive invitations to future GSQ events, subscribe to our mailing list here: https://ems.gs/3iPy0hqbqzg

The journey to a sustainable future begins below the surface. As we strive for net-zero emissions, the Collaborative Exploration Initiative (CEI) is helping pave the way for critical minerals exploration in Queensland. Learn more in this short article below 👇 Reminder: Only one week remains to apply for the next round of CEI funding. 📅 Submissions close at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, 11 December. Learn more at https://lnkd.in/gnnUiJCd

Last week, the spotlight was on North West Queensland’s rich critical mineral reserves during a visit to Maronan Metals (ASX:MMA) by our Critical Minerals Queensland (CMQ) team. Located 65km south of Cloncurry, Maronan Station is recognised in the Queensland Critical Minerals Strategy as a priority site for critical minerals development. So far, Maronan Metals has drilled over 10,000m to explore a significant lead-silver and copper-gold deposit. Exploration Manager Andrew Barker gave the CMQ team an exclusive look at their new drill core samples, alongside 15,000m of historical core. The visit also featured a 3D geological model that provided an immersive understanding of the deposit’s structure and mineral composition. Companies like Maronan Metals help reinforce the region's vital role in advancing Queensland’s critical minerals future.