Australia releases mine waste map for critical minerals supply

Some miners, like Australia's New Century Resources, have already made a business out of reprocessing old mine waste to extract metal, as part of a mine remediation process. "Some of the minerals we need now, and into the future, may not just be in the ground - they're also in rock piles and tailings on mine sites around the country," Resources Minister Madeleine King said in a statement.

Australia has released a map of sites containing mine waste that could be reprocessed to source minerals critical to the global energy transition, the government said on Wednesday. Metals like copper, nickel and cobalt are expected to be in short supply over the coming decades given demand growth from green energy sectors such as offshore wind and solar farms and electric vehicle batteries.

BHP Group estimates the world needs to double the amount of copper produced over the next 30 years just to keep pace. Some miners, like Australia's New Century Resources, have already made a business out of reprocessing old mine waste to extract metal, as part of a mine remediation process.

"Some of the minerals we need now, and into the future, may not just be in the ground - they're also in rock piles and tailings on mine sites around the country," Resources Minister Madeleine King said in a statement. Australia built its early economy on a 19th century gold rush, and exploitation of its mineral wealth in subsequent decades has left parts of the country strewn with old mines.

The Atlas of Mine Waste released on Wednesday identifies 1,050 sites as possible sources of critical minerals. "These minerals might not have been of interest when first extracted but could now be in hot demand as the world seeks to decarbonise – for example, cobalt in the tailings of old copper mines," King said.

"Reprocessing rocks and earth that have been previously excavated during mining operations can give new life to old mining towns, create jobs and rejuvenate local economies."

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