The Australian-first processing facility for critical minerals is on the look out for a managing contractor.
Located at Cleveland Bay Industrial Park in Townsville, the Queensland Resources Common User Facility (QRCUF) is the first of its kind in Asia-Pacific and will process critical minerals such as vanadium.
Over time, the facility will expand its capacity to process other minerals like cobalt and rare earths elements.
The future managing contractor of the site will be responsible for engaging the consultants, suppliers and trade contractors needed to develop and construct the site.
Expressions of interest for the position are now open, marking another major milestone for the project.
“Delivery of the Queensland Resources Common User Facility reinforces our Government’s ongoing commitment to the critical minerals industry in North Queensland,” Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said.
“Once operational the facility will enable North Queensland to leverage their abundant critical minerals and rare earth elements to secure local supply and meet the growing global demand.”
The facility is part of a $150 million commitment announced in the 2022-2023 State Budget Update in December 2022 for common user infrastructure to support the development, extraction and production of critical minerals.
The project also supports the delivery of the Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan and the $62 billion Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.
“Queensland and in particular the North West Minerals Province has an abundance of critical minerals like vanadium that the world is demanding as it decarbonsies,” Minister for Resources Scott Stewart said.
“The Queensland Resources Common User Facility as well as the State Government’s investment in Copperstring 2032 will help unlock these deposits and the next resources boom for the state.
“This facility will help resources companies prove up their product and develop new opportunities for vanadium mining in Queensland which will support good jobs in regional Queensland.”