PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Australia and Germany will collaborate on new opportunities for critical mineral projects, with Minister for Resources and Northern Australia Madeleine King signing a joint Declaration of Intent with Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action Dr Franziska Brantner.

The Declaration will support a joint study to help Australia meet its ambitions to develop value-added industries around critical minerals, from extraction to refinement and recycling, and to help Germany secure reliable supplies of critical minerals to underpin its manufacturing and recycling activities.

“Both Australia and Germany recognise the important opportunity we have to build diverse, resilient and sustainable critical minerals value chains,” King said.

“Australia has vast reserves of critical minerals, which are essential components for clean-energy technologies such as electric vehicles, batteries, solar panels and wind turbines.

“Both countries have complementary climate, energy and strategic ambitions. The Declaration of Intent with Germany will help us understand which critical minerals are most important to support Germany’s industries and how Australia can be a partner of choice in meeting these needs.”

King will later this year release Australia’s new Critical Minerals Strategy which will help grow the sector and reflect the important role critical minerals can play in Australia’s commitment to net zero emissions by 2050.

It is envisioned that the strategy will focus on the government’s vision to grow the critical minerals sector and ensure that the benefits are captured by all Australians. The strategy will support growth in Australia’s minerals processing, domestic manufacturing and other industrial sectors, and will support emerging opportunities for the country’s regional and First Nations communities.