Victorian Critical Minerals Roadmap

Critical minerals are a collection of metal and non-metal elements. They are considered essential to renewable energy infrastructure, modern computing, emerging technologies and sustainable economic development. They have been described as critical due to their vulnerability to future supply risks because of geological scarcity or geopolitical factors.

Victoria's potential

Victoria’s critical mineral resources include globally significant quantities of titanium, zirconium, and associated rare-earth elements in mineral sand deposits in the northwest of the state. Central Victoria has Australia’s largest antimony deposits and the nation’s only operating antimony mine.

Promising early-stage mineral exploration for other critical minerals, namely bismuth, indium, lithium, nickel, platinum group metals, rhenium, silicon, tin, tungsten and zinc, is also underway.

Demonstrated resources of copper, which the Australian Government has designated a strategic material, can also be found in the west and east of the state.

The Geological Survey of Victoria maintains a map highlighting the state’s critical mineral and strategic materials potential.

A roadmap for Victoria's critical minerals

Victoria has the potential to be a major player in ethically produced critical minerals from our significant mineral deposits. To support the emerging industry and to build community confidence in its development, the Victorian Government has launched its first Critical Minerals Roadmap.

Download the roadmap

Key themes in the roadmap

Theme 1: Mapping the opportunities

The government will identify and promote new critical minerals opportunities by modernising our geoscience data and employing new-generation geological mapping. In addition, early consideration of environmental features, biodiversity, land use and community values will facilitate smoother project approvals and reduce investment risks. This will help make Victoria an attractive destination for responsible and respected investors and operators.

Theme 2: A modern regulatory regime

Victoria has a robust regulatory framework to oversight exploration and mining activity around the state. To support new critical mineral projects, the government will establish a Victorian Critical Minerals Coordination Office to engage industry on processes and standards and reduce approvals timelines.

The government will also review guidance materials and operational practices to provide greater clarity and streamline processes. This work will support the government’s continued implementation of a modernised duty-based regime for exploration and mining approvals.

Theme 3: Critical minerals production and processing in Victoria

Victoria boasts the nation’s largest manufacturing workforce, world-class research and innovation capabilities and hosts a range of globally integrated supply chains. The government will investigate downstream production opportunities in critical mineral processing and manufacturing. This will include preliminary studies to investigate potential economic and national supply security benefits from downstream processing facilities in our state.

Where possible, Victoria will also seek to partner with the Australian Government and other Australian states and territories to enable more value-added development and expand markets.

Theme 4: Sharing the benefits of Victoria’s minerals

Victoria will investigate benefit sharing models for local communities and Traditional Owners, balancing the interests of community, landholders, Traditional Owners, government and industry to optimise social, environmental and economic outcomes.