Originally published by Leighton Smith of Townsville Bulletin
03.04.2026
Northern Australia’s vast reserves of untapped critical minerals are at risk of remaining undeveloped without urgent federal government reform and investment, Townsville Enterprise has warned.
The advocacy organisation has called for immediate action to unlock the North Queensland and North West Minerals Province’s estimated $500bn in critical minerals, like vanadium, cobalt, copper and rare earth elements, that are essential for renewable energy technologies and hi-tech manufacturing.
High energy costs and market monopoly conditions currently stand as key barriers against progress.
After recently leading a delegation of NQ mayors to lobby politicians in Canberra and Brisbane, Townsville Enterprise (TEL) was looking to build on this momentum by calling for regulatory reforms.
They include supporting the timely delivery of critical transmission infrastructure to facilitate greater energy connectivity and competition, streamlined environmental approvals, and investments to upgrade key infrastructure.
TEL chief executive Claudia Brumme said Australia risked missing a once‑in‑a‑generation opportunity to take advantage of the economic and sovereign capabilities emerging across northern Australia.
“Townsville North Queensland sits at the centre of hundreds of billions of dollars in untapped critical minerals, a rapidly accelerating renewable energy corridor, and the nation’s most strategically important defence and advanced manufacturing opportunities,” Ms Brumme said.
“North and Northwest Queensland is rapidly becoming Australia’s most important renewable energy and critical minerals corridor but we cannot realise our full potential without timely investment to unlock these opportunities and ensure long-term productivity.”
She wanted to see federal enabling investment to progress northern projects like Copperstring, Lansdown, Haughton Pipeline, the Port of Townsville expansion, sustainable aviation fuel mandates, and the Townsville Eastern Access Rail Corridor (TEARC).
Ms Brumme welcomed the Federal Government’s recent decision to grant major project status to the Northern Quartz Campus project.
“We strongly support the decision to elevate the status of this project. The Northern Quartz Campus will boost Australia’s sovereign capability in critical minerals and silicon production, and is a crucial element of the pioneering Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct,” she said.
A spokesman for Minister for Resources and northern Australia Madeleine King said the federal government had been taking strong action to build Australia’s critical minerals and rare earths industry since 2022.
“We’re backing the sector through a generational investment in geoscience, encouraging production and processing through production tax incentives, and investing in the infrastructure needed to support new critical minerals projects,” he said.
“This week, the government delivered on its election commitment to establish a Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve.
“Parliament passed legislation that allows Australia to secure and stockpile critical minerals and rare earths that are essential to our economy, our national security and the industries of the future.”
The northern Australia Infrastructure Facility (NAIF), Export Finance Australia and the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation have made substantial investments in critical minerals projects across Australia’s north.
“We are strengthening the NAIF so it can support more projects across northern Australia, with legislation to extend the facility for another decade now before the parliament,” he said.
Both the federal and state governments have also backed the Graphinex Battery Anode Demonstration Facility in Townsville under the International Partnerships for Critical Minerals Program.
TEL’s government recommendations to support emerging industries:
1. Reviewing the Northwest Queensland energy market with a view that deregulation will introduce competition and decrease prices, helping secure the investments needed to develop critical minerals projects.
2. Rewiring the Nation be considered to fast-track the western link of CopperString is funded as soon as possible, connecting critical minerals producers and value-adding companies to the National Energy Market.
3. That the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act remains under review to ensure recent reforms deliver reduced time frames and allow investment certainty for renewable energy proponents.
4. Prioritise investment of $150 million into the critical enabling infrastructure for the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct to reduce costs and attract future-based industry and jobs.
5. Introduce tax rebates and other incentives to encourage critical minerals proponents to invest and become the ‘first-movers’ for common user infrastructure and attract other private investment.
6. Fund the Townsville Port Expansion and accelerate Stage 2: Outer Harbour Development to meet growing trade demand and support expanded Defence presence. Advance the Townsville Eastern Access Rail Corridor project.
7. Invest in the Lansdown Eco-Industrial precinct and Haughton Pipeline to provide suitable heavy industrial land for emerging industries.
8. Fund $250 million of efficiency upgrades along the Mt Isa Rail Line.
9. Allocate $2 million in funding for upgrades to the international terminal to enable international services by 2027.
10. Relocate and upgrade JCU’s Cyclone Testing Station to boost research into climate-resilient building design.