FossickingF for a contractor
$75m minerals processing facility expected to unlock next boom
The state government is on the hunt for a managing contractor for Australia’s first critical minerals processing facility.
The Queensland Resources Common User Facility will be a purpose-built testing and demonstration facility located at the Cleveland Bay Industrial Park.
The $75m facility is expected to unlock the state’s next mining and manufacturing boom.
When the facility was first announced it was tipped to cost just $10m, but the scope has since been expanded.
The state-owned processing
facility will initially focus on vanadium, with the capacity to expand over time to process other critical minerals like cobalt and rare earth minerals.
Vanadium, which is in demand around the world, can be used to create reliable and safe renewable energy storage solutions which can be used in large-scale batteries.
There is no comparable pilot or demonstration scale facility in Australia or the Asia Pacific.
Treasurer, Trade and Investment Minister Cameron Dick said this was part of the government’s ongoing commitment to the critical minerals industry in the North.
“Once operational the facility will enable North Queensland to leverage their abundant critical minerals and rare earth elements to secure local supply and meet the growing global demand,” Mr Dick said.
“There is already i n t e r e s t from f companies p in f using u a c i l i t the y , and a opportunities for jobs, new manufacturing and processing supply chains and investment to North Queensland is expected to follow.
“Vanadium is used in redox flow batteries, which have a much greater capacity to be scaled up than other battery technology.”
He added that the commonuser facility had the potential to play a major role in the delivery of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.
The managing contractor of the project will be responsible for engaging the consultants, suppliers and trade contractors necessary to develop and construct the QRCUF and may choose to undertake some of the works directly.
The QRCUF is expected to commence operations in 2025.
The EOI opens today and will close on 15 May 2023. Following the EOI, the Queensland government will select a shortlist of respondents to go to a request for proposal later in mid-2023.
Resources Minister Scott Stewart said the world was demanding critical minerals as it decarbonises.
The Queensland Resources Common User Facility as well as the Palaszczuk Government’s investment in CopperString 2032 will help unlock these deposits and the next resources boom for the state,” he said.
“This facility will help resources companies prove up their product and develop new opportunities for vanadium mining in Queensland which will support good jobs in regional Queensland.”