PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland government has called for expressions of interest (EoI) for a managing contractor for the Queensland Resources Common User Facility (QRCUF) critical minerals processing facility.

The QRCUF will be a purpose-built testing and demonstration facility located at the Cleveland Bay Industrial Park. The state-owned mineral processing facility will focus initially on vanadium processing, with capacity to expand over time to encompass processing other critical minerals like cobalt and rare earth elements.

Delivery of the QRCUF in Queensland will accelerate the development of commercial mining projects, promote investment in advanced mineral manufacturing opportunities, and support supply chain and supporting industry development.

“Delivery of the QRCUF reinforces our government’s ongoing commitment to the critical minerals industry in North Queensland,” said Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick.

“Once operational the facility will enable North Queensland to leverage its abundant critical minerals and rare earth elements to secure local supply and meet the growing global demand.

“There is already interest from companies in using the facility, and opportunities for jobs, new manufacturing and processing supply chains and investment to North Queensland is expected follow.

“Vanadium is used in redox flow batteries, which have a much greater capacity to be scaled up than other battery technology. That means this common user facility has the potential to play a major role in the delivery of the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan.”

The managing contractor of the project will be responsible for engaging the consultants, suppliers and trade contractors necessary to develop and construct the QRCUF and may choose to undertake some of the works directly.  

The QRCUF is expected to commence operations in 2025.

The EoI will close on May 15. Following the EoI, the Queensland government will select a shortlist of respondents to go to a request for proposal later in mid-2023.