Australia, the United States and Canada have collaborated to deliver the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative online portal, which contains the world’s largest dataset of critical minerals deposits.
The online portal was created as part of the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative by Geoscience Australia, the United States Geological Survey and the Geological Survey of Canada.
It is designed to map critical minerals including cobalt, lithium and rare earth elements, and identify new critical mineral regions.
According to Minister for Resources, Water and Northern Australia Keith Pitt, the portal could lead to further global supply chain opportunities for Australia.
“While Australia is known across the world for its rich gold and iron ore deposits, our country also has an abundance of critical minerals – which are key to everything from iPhones to fighter jets,” he said.
“This portal will help secure Australia’s future as a global supplier of critical minerals and contribute to the resource security of two of our most important international partners.”
The Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative was established in December 2019 to increase the supply of critical minerals.
“Together with our other initiatives, including the Exploring for the Future program and the Modern Manufacturing Initiative, this government is sending a strong message to the world that Australia is reliable, responsible and ready for investment in critical minerals,” Pitt said.
The portal also supports the Australian Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy to make Australia a world leader in critical minerals exploration, extraction, production and processing.
More than 7000 mineral samples from over 60 countries have been identified through the Critical Minerals Mapping Initiative.