News and Events

Inaccessible supplies of an element crucial to powering a clean-energy future are set to be unlocked with technology developed by The University of Queensland. The technology, commercialised through new start-up company Banksia Minerals Processing (BMP), is a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way to extract copper from previously unviable low-quality resources. UQ’s School of Chemical […]

The Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer welcomes the latest investment in research to unlock Western Australia’s rare earth elements (REE) potential, reinforcing the state’s role in the global energy transition. A newly announced study, supported by a $175,000 grant from the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia (MRIWA), aims to identify and develop a […]

Whilst it’s exciting to see a haul truck or drill rig operating without an onboard operator, many humans are still involved remotely, issuing commands and responding to conflicts or changing conditions. The efficiency and safety of modern mining operations have significantly improved in recent years due to rapid developments in the automation of mobile equipment […]

Developing a more economical and sustainable method to produce manganese is essential, with the critical mineral forming a key component of most lithium ion and conventional alkaline batteries needed in devices like smartphones and laptops, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems. The current production process generates several significant waste-related problems such as unutilised manganese and […]

A small-scale fluidised bed flotation device with the potential to predict industrial-scale performance is entering the final stages of testing with the delivery of 7 prototypes to industry. Developed by researchers at The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute (SMI), the JKHFmini builds on coarse particle flotation technology where a fluidised bed is used to […]

Today the Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer announced it has committed $102 million to 47 research initiatives which includes $67.6 million from 50+ industry partners such as BHP, Rio Tinto, Lynas, Woodside Energy, Cadoux, Sakura Ferroalloys, and Xcalibur. The funding supports cutting-edge advancements in exploration, production and downstream processing to advance Australia’s exploration and […]

Wednesday 4 December – 7:30am to 10:30am – Curtin Business School, 78 Murray St, Perth After 8 years of collaborative efforts by many of the worlds largest process control system end user companies, globally dominant process control OEMs and many other IT and OT organisations and standards bodies, Open Process Automation (OPA) is now not […]

Fuelling discovery of green hydrogen Whilst English scientist Henry Cavendish may have first isolated hydrogen as an element in 1766 – and it has always been the most abundant in the universe constituting 75% of normal matter – did you know it is still difficult to detect? Hydrogen is widely viewed as a critical part […]

On Tuesday 29 October, Assistant Minister for Education Anthony Chisholm visited CSIRO’s Lab22 Innovation Precinct in Clayton Victoria to see the specialist equipment and expertise now available through the Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer for industry partners and researchers. The Markforged’s PX100 Binder Jetting System – now available – and Tekna’s Teskpero-15 Spheriodiser – […]

Industry leaders from the resources technology and critical minerals sector converged on Townsville, Queensland this week to discuss ways to boost this crucial industry in the region. Hosted by James Cook University, the Regional Trailblazer Showcase & Stakeholder Forum was held on Wednesday 25 September in partnership with Trailblazer program lead Curtin University and partners […]

The Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer welcomes the appointment of Resource Capital Funds (RCF) Managing Director, Brett Beatty. Brett brings to the board extensive global industry knowledge and networks, having worked in mining roles across Australia, Brazil, and the USA. Brett joined RCF, an international mining-focused private equity firm, in 2009 having worked as […]

A semi-vapor electrolyser system that can produce cost-effective green hydrogen; a catalytic graphitisation technology that can produce synthetic graphite; and a mining wastewater treatment using hydrogel beads encapsulating microorganisms that remove pollutants were just some of the exciting deep tech solutions on display last night at the inaugural National Energy Transition Accelerator Demo Night held […]

As part of the funding allocated by the Federal Government to the Trailblazer Universities program, $45 million has been provided for participating universities to access Australia’s national science agency CSIRO’s National Characterisation Capabilities and Facilities, providing them with access to specialist equipment and expertise to support the delivery of their projects. The Resources Technology and […]

With hydrogen continuing to emerge as a sustainable energy solution, we need to find innovative solutions to current challenges and risks associated with hydrogen transmission, storage, and distribution infrastructure. John Curtin Distinguished Professor in Physics and Astronomy, Craig Buckley, is recognised internationally for his work on energy storage, in particular hydrogen storage and conversion. Craig leads […]

We’re delighted to announce that the winners of the 2024 Trailblazer Prize are Dr Hoa Bui, Professor Ryan Loxton, Alex Massen-Hane, and Dr Elham Mardaneh from ‘Maintenance Schedule Optimiser’. Maintenance scheduling optimisation is often seen as a type of resource-constrained project scheduling problem. Existing mathematical models and solution methods, including exact, heuristic, and meta-heuristic approaches, […]

Wednesday 25 September 2024 The inaugural Regional Trailblazer Showcase & Stakeholder Forum will be held on Wednesday 25 September in Townsville, Queensland hosted by James Cook University. The aim of the event is to highlight industry relevant research projects supported by the Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer whilst identifying concerns and research goals for […]

Curtin University is thrilled to continue our partnership with Venture Minerals in support of their push to become the next rare earth element producer of significance in Australia. The company announced in an ASX update this week that data collected at the company’s flagship 40 km2 Jupiter rare earth discovery, based out of Western Australia’s […]

With the presence of the WA School of Mines for over 100 years in Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Curtin University has been an integral partner of the Diggers and Dealers conference which took place in the city from 5 – 7 August 2024. For the first time this year, the Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer supported a […]

Curtin is excited to announce that it will be the first University in Australia to offer Open Process Automation (OPA) training and education to the mining industry. Traditional process control technology does not meet the advancements in IT over the past 20 years, causing significant issues for the current generation of process control professionals who […]

Curtin University Associate Professor Bogale Tadesse has built a reputation for finding innovative approaches to unlock value from challenging ore deposits. His research has demonstrated improved recovery of rare earth minerals through simplified flowsheets that are capable of handling recycled water sources. He is also involved in developing alternative methods for gold extraction from complex […]

Monday 4 – Tuesday 5 August 2024 The WA School of Mines (WASM) is set to welcome industry professionals from the resources sector for exclusive campus tours during the highly anticipated Diggers & Dealers Conference in August. This initiative aims to foster stronger connections between academia and industry, highlighting the innovative research and educational excellence […]

On Thursday 20 June, Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer Director Rohan McDougall fronted members of Western Australia’s mining and critical minerals sector alongside industry heavyweights Bill Beament, Angela Glover, and Raj Surendran at Business News’s Critical Minerals Sector Briefing. The panel discussed the challenges facing the critical minerals industry, including difficulties in financing projects, […]

Curtin University Research Associate, Dr Nadia Bustos Salgado, from the Mining Rock Mechanics Group in the WA School of Mines (WASM), is undertaking groundbreaking research in the heart of Australia’s mining sector at Curtin’s Kalgoorlie campus, alongside leading Professor Ernesto Villaescusa with funding support from the Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer. In the future, […]

A novel way to manufacture synthetic graphite for lithium-ion batteries and a new process for converting atmospheric carbon into sustainable aviation fuel are just some of the transformative solutions that will be supported by the inaugural National Energy Transition Accelerator (NETA) which today announced the nine teams selected for the program. Supported by the Resources […]

Zapping rocks with a high-voltage pulse – similar to a lightning strike – could be the answer to decarbonising the mining industry according to researchers from The University of Queensland. Researchers from UQ’s Sustainable Minerals Institute have developed High Voltage Pulse (HVP) technology, which uses a short-pulsed discharge similar to a lightning strike, to selectively break mineralised […]

Curtin University has unveiled a new multi-million dollar venture studio to fast-track innovation in the resources industry and develop new technologies to support net-zero emissions by 2050 under the Trailblazer Universities Program. The $18.6 million platform will build and accelerate the growth of start-ups that are focused on pioneering sustainable resources solutions. Assistant Minister for Education, […]

On Tuesday April 30, over 120 researchers, industry partners, and academic staff members convened at Curtin University’s TL Robertson Library for the inaugural Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer Showcase. The event provided an opportunity to update stakeholders connected to the Trailblazer on the key achievements of the program to date since Curtin University was […]

This week, one of our early career researchers Dr Nirmala Ilankoon was invited by the Australian Government Department of Education to attend Science & Technology Australia’s Science Meets Parliament event at Australian Parliament House in Canberra on behalf of the Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer. This event offered attendees bespoke training to forge deeper […]

Today, we launched the National Energy Transition Accelerator, a dedicated program designed to to support early-stage businesses developing solutions that will enable the resources technology and critical minerals sectors to facilitate the energy transition. Startups participating in this free 8-week program will be supported to overcome technical and market barriers to allow for rapid deployment […]

West Tech Fest ran in December 2023 and is Australia’s longest running technology and innovation festival, providing opportunities for participants to connect with global leaders as they share insights to grow successful businesses.