WA wins big slice of $50m critical minerals grants

A battery materials company chaired by former Liberal Party leader Mike Nahan is among a cohort of Western Australian companies to secure a share of federal government grants. 

Seven of the thirteen companies awarded funding under the federal government critical minerals allocation were located in Western Australia, with the extra cash designed to speed up the development of projects focused on rare earths, tungsten and battery materials among others.

Among the winners was Australian Energy Storage Solutions, which will receive $5.5 million to build a pilot precursor cathode active material manufacturing plant in Kwinana.

The company is chaired by former state politician Mike Nahan, who led the WA Liberal Party for two years between 2019 and 2019 and previously served as Energy Minister under the Barnett Liberal government.

Nickel and lithium miner IGO secured $4.6 million for its proposed battery material facility in Kwinana being developed in partnership with Andrew Forrest’s Wyloo Metals.

The pair tabled plans for the $1 billion operation to be constructed across a 30-hectare site in Kwinana in April.

ASX-lister Northern Minerals was also a winning recipient from WA, awarded $5.9 million across various areas to help bring its Wolverine rare earths project in the Kimberely into production.

International Graphite will receive $4.7 million to further three projects, including a graphite mine in the Shire of Ravensthorpe and a graphite processing facility in Collie.

A $6.25 million grant will go to Magnium Australia in a bid to commercialise a technology designed for cleaner extraction of magnesium metal and a refinery pilot plant, also in Collie.

Vietnam-focused Tungsten Metals Group secured $1.2 million to advance its production of ferro tungsten powders, an alloy used in aerospace, medical, energy and defence products.

Tungsten Mining will use a $1 million grant to support test work its Mount Mulgine project.

Resources Minister Madeleine King said the successful projects would help Australia realise its ambitions as a 'clean energy superpower'.

“Australia has remarkable potential to meet the increasing global demand for the critical minerals needed for clean energy technologies, such as electric vehicles and batteries, as the world moves to decarbonise," Mrs King said. 

The grants come ahead of the expected release of the federal government's critical minerals strategy.

Association of Mining and Exploration Companies chief executive Warren Pearce described the grants as a welcome first step, but said more support would be needed for Australia to capture broader value-adding opportunities.

“We have the minerals, a highly skilled workforce, and the commercial acumen to develop these orebodies into value-added products, Mr Pearce said.

“But we need to compete for the international capital needed to finance these projects.

“Today’s targeted grant program is a start, but much more will be needed.”