National resource assessments

National resource assessments will underpin Australia’s resources future and support effective decision-making. Assessments will evaluate the potential for critical minerals, (including rare earth elements), strategic materials, groundwater, natural hydrogen, geological storage of hydrogen and carbon dioxide, and suitability for offshore renewable energy infrastructure.

Minerals

We will develop a national prospectus of Australia’s geological and economic potential for the responsible supply of critical minerals and strategic materials. This includes underexplored regions, existing deposits, and re-mining opportunities.

As part of the Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity initiative, ŮŮÊÓƵwill deliver national mineral potential assessments for all 36 critical minerals and strategic materials. Rare earth elements, copper, nickel, cobalt, and battery minerals have been identified as the initial priority commodities for the first 10 years of the initiative.

These commodities are significant for clean energy generation, transmission and storage, which are priority technologies in the national interest with significant forecast increases in global demand. We will assess and deliver one or more mineral system potential maps for each commodity, which may present opportunities for further development.

Mineral Intelligence

The Mineral Intelligence project will deliver a commodity-based understanding of viable development pathways for critical minerals and strategic materials from existing mineral resources and legacy mining assets across Australia. Opportunities spanning the resources pipeline from short to longer-term will be assessed as part of three main activities: industry intelligence, re-mining potential, and assessment of by-product potential. This project will develop an enhanced evidence-base to support government, industry and community decision-making.

Mineral Potential Assessments

The Mineral Potential project will deliver and map a commodity-based understanding of the potential for the discovery of critical minerals and strategic materials across Australia. The project will use a mineral systems-based predictive mineral potential mapping approach to identify new opportunities and frontiers for discoveries. An important aspect of the project will be to test and validate predictions from the mineral potential maps to facilitate uptake and effective use of the project outputs.

Major release:

• 2026–2034 – assessments of rare earth elements, copper, cobalt and priority battery minerals

Geological storage

We will identify and map onshore and offshore opportunities for the underground storage of hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

Hydrogen Assessments

The Hydrogen Assessments project will undertake salt mapping in strategic locations across Australia and assess the suitability of alternative underground hydrogen storage techniques (e.g. in depleted gas fields and hard rock caverns), while also investigating the potential for natural hydrogen in Australia and its potential to help diversify hydrogen production pathways.

Major release:

• 2027 – national hydrogen hub storage assessment

Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage

The Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) project will focus on making legacy data and information readily usable for the CCUS industry and characterising targeted areas for geological storage (sequestration) of CO₂, and producing a national carbon dioxide storage resource atlas. Outputs from this project will support the development of decarbonisation pathways and technologies for a wide range of stakeholders, including government decision-makers, the CCS industry and emitters.

Major release:

• 2028 – national carbon dioxide storage resource atlas

Offshore renewable energy

We will map the stability and suitability of Australia’s seafloor for renewable energy.

Offshore Energy

The Offshore Energy project will deliver seabed suitability and stability data products and assessments. These data products and assessments will be used to identify and support the development of new energy resources and decarbonisation pathways and technologies, with a particular focus on offshore renewable energy (including offshore wind), hydrogen and carbon capture, utilisation and storage (geological sequestration).

Major release:

• 2034 – national seabed stability map

Groundwater

We will deliver assessments of Australia’s groundwater systems to support responsible groundwater use and management.

Groundwater Mapping

The Groundwater mapping project will enhance understanding, management and sustainable use of Australia’s groundwater resources by assessing groundwater systems, their connectivity and relationships with other natural resources across the continent. A coordinated, nationally consistent approach to groundwater mapping and data integration will provide the fundamental knowledge needed to improve resource management and support responsible development while safeguarding critical environmental assets.

Major release:

2034 – national 3D groundwater map