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Australian critical mineral exploration and development

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2026-08-13 03:01 UTC → 2026-08-13 03:04 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Australia is advancing efforts to identify and develop critical mineral resources, particularly rare earth elements. Through the Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative, a 35-year program led by Geoscience Australia and supported by approximately 3.4 billion Australian dollars, the government has identified remote areas in Western Australia and the Northern Territory with high potential for heavy rare earth elements such as dysprosium and terbium. In January 2026, the Australian Government announced these findings, noting that dysprosium and terbium are critical for manufacturing high-performance permanent magnets used in energy, industrial, and defense technologies. While the assessments indicate promising areas, officials clarified that these findings represent geological potential rather than confirmed, economically exploitable deposits. Further field work, including drilling, sample analysis, and economic studies, is required to determine commercial viability. In the private sector, RareX has mobilized field crews to its Khaleesi Project in Western Australia. The company is preparing for a 3,500-metre reverse-circulation drilling campaign to test targets for gallium, niobium, and rare earth elements. Managing director James Durrant stated the project could become a “key component of RareX’s critical-minerals portfolio.”

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