April 2026

Ancient tectonic processes the key to locating rare minerals essential for modern technologies

New research from Adelaide University has revealed that geological processes dating back billions of years are critical to locating the rare earth elements needed for modern technologies and the global clean energy transition. Published today in Science Advances, the study shows a strong global link between ancient subduction zones – where tectonic plates collide – and the formation of rare earth element (REE) deposits and carbonatites, a type of hot molten rock called magma, known to host these valuable resources. Rare earth elements are essential components in technologies such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, smartphones, and defence systems. However, locating economically viable deposits remains a major global challenge. Led by Professor Carl Spandler from the School of Physics, Chemistry and Earth Sciences, the research team reconstructed Earth’s geological history over the past two billion years using advanced plate tectonic modelling. They identified regions of the Earth’s mantle that had been fertilised by subduction processes, where material from one tectonic plate is forced beneath another, releasing fluids and elements into the overlying mantle. The Adelaide University researchers found that these fertilised mantle regions now underlie approximately 67% of carbonatites and 72% of REE deposits formed over the past 1.8 billion years. For older deposits, that figure rises to 92%. Prof Spandler said the findings provide compelling evidence that ancient subduction zones play a fundamental role in creating the conditions needed for rare earth deposits to form. “This research shows that the ingredients for these critical mineral deposits were put in place many million to even billions of years ago,” Prof Spandler said. “By identifying where these ancient processes occurred, we can significantly narrow down the search areas for future discoveries.” The study also challenges previous theories that linked these deposits primarily to mantle plumes –columns of hot material rising from deep within the […]

Faster approvals critical to realising Queensland’s Taroom Trough opportunity

The Queensland Government’s welcome plan to unlock the Taroom Trough represents a significant opportunity to strengthen Australia’s fuel security and economic resilience. Australian Energy Producers Chief Executive Samantha McCulloch said the Taroom Trough has long been recognised by industry as a highly prospective basin with the potential to play a major role in Australia’s energy future. “The Taroom Trough is an exciting opportunity for Queensland and Australia — a significant oil resource that could bolster our fuel security and help to reduce reliance on imports,” Ms McCulloch said. “The industry has long recognised the potential of the Taroom region, and the Queensland Government’s Taroom Trough Development Plan is an important step in encouraging exploration and investment.” Ms McCulloch said the focus must now shift to ensuring projects can proceed without unnecessary delay. “Faster, more efficient approvals and stronger policy settings will be critical to unlocking Taroom and similar basins,” she said. “We need all levels of government working together to fix the approvals system. Carving oil and gas projects out of streamlined reforms under the EPBC was a missed opportunity, and it makes even less sense now given the impacts of the global energy crisis. “There is a significant opportunity not just in Taroom, but across Australia — but it will only be realised with the right policy settings and investment certainty to bring new supply online. “That means encouraging exploration, delivering much faster approvals, and addressing activism and lawfare that is delaying critical energy projects. “Australia has substantial undeveloped oil resources, and developing them is key to strengthening fuel security, supporting regional jobs and helping shield Australians from future global energy shocks.”

Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding with a new investment prospectus, The City of Ipswich Space to Grow.

Ipswich primed to be Queensland’s manufacturing and defence capital

Ipswich is positioned to be the manufacturing and defence capital of Queensland with an 8,000-hectare future supply of industrial land. With the largest area of land earmarked as developable for commercial and industrial purposes than any other city in South East Queensland, Ipswich City Council has outlined its competitive advantages in a new investment prospectus, The City of Ipswich: Space to Grow. Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the city is uniquely positioned to attract advanced manufacturing, defence, production, innovation and logistics. “Ipswich is in a prime position to help bring manufacturing back to Queensland and Australia,” Mayor Harding said. “As a proven location for industry to thrive, Ipswich is HQ to operations of companies including Goodman Group, Coles, Suntory Oceania, JBS, Rheinmetall, L’Oréal Groupe, Australia Post, FedEx, TAE Aerospace, Visy, CHEP, Sunny Queen, Bombadier, DB Schenker and Bapcor. Officeworks and Asahi are also building large-scale facilities in Ipswich. “Manufacturing and defence are our city’s biggest industries, contributing about 60 per cent of our $8 billion in annual exports, and we are hungry more of this type of investment. “With a potential industrial land supply of 7,923 hectares – a supply bigger than that of all other South East Queensland local government areas combined – we have space planned for new commercial and industrial centres. “The region overall is facing challenges when it comes to industrial land supply, with Brisbane predicted to run out in a matter of a few years. “Ipswich stands ready to cater for the land requirements of a range of industries. Our city has a proud history of manufacturing and it remains one of the largest employers of any industry in our city. “We want to ensure Ipswich is the manufacturing and defence capital of Queensland, so that investment flows through our economy and leads to job […]

Climate disclosures: what manufacturers need to focus on now

Martin Fryer, Head of Strategy and Disclosures, thinkstep-anz Climate risk is now a financial reporting issue. The Australian Sustainability Reporting Standard (AASB) S2 Climate-related Disclosures asks organisations to explain how climate-related risks and opportunities could affect their business performance and future plans. For manufacturers in Group 2 and 3, this means preparing to disclose information that is decision-useful for investors, lenders and regulators. The focus is on understanding where climate could affect the business, and how those impacts are reflected in financial outcomes and strategic planning. Who needs to report when: Reporting group Reporting starts First report due (FY) Thresholds (meet 2 of 3) Group 1 From 1 January 2025 After 30 June 2026 $500m revenue, $1b assets, 500 employees Group 2 From 1 July 2026 After 30 June 2027 $200m revenue, $500m assets, 250 employees Group 3 From 1 July 2027 After 30 June 2028 $50m revenue, $25m assets, 100 employees Find additional information here What AASB S2 is asking organisations to do At its core, AASB S2 connects climate with enterprise value. It is built around one key question: Would this information matter to someone making a financial decision about the business? To answer that, organisations need to: identify climate-related risks and opportunities assess which ones are significant explain how they affect the business and financial outcomes show how they are being managed. The AASB’s recently released educational material offers a few practical points: Materiality requires judgement Organisations need to assess which climate issues are significant enough to influence decisions by users of their financial reports. This involves both qualitative and quantitative considerations. Link to financial outcomes It is not enough to describe risks. You need to show how they affect revenue, costs or asset values. Transparency builds credibility Clear disclosure of assumptions, ranges and limitations is encouraged. […]

Australian Composites Manufacturing CRC appoints Luke Preston as new CEO

The Australian Composites Manufacturing Cooperative Research Centre (ACM CRC) has announced that its board has appointed highly experienced engineering manager and entrepreneur Luke Preston as the new full-time CEO, as the CRC builds on the successful first three years of its ten-year term. Preston’s career includes roles as Head of Engineering and Drone Operations at Quickstep Group and Industrialisation Director at Carbon Revolution–both leading Australian companies in composites manufacturing–as well as Manager, Manufacturing Engineering-General Assembly at Tesla Motors in the United States. He has been acting CEO since January, following the departure of Dr Steve Gower. “It’s an absolute privilege to be appointed as CEO. I began my career in manufacturing at Ford Australia, being given opportunities that may no longer exist. I feel a responsibility to re-create pathways for Australians to contribute through manufacturing,” said Preston. “The CRC is three years into our 10-year journey. We have established strong foundations and are well positioned to lean into the fast-changing landscape in AI-enabled manufacturing. “Australia is blessed with strong capability through the skills and smarts of our workforce, combined with an abundance of resources to refine and manufacture into products for Australians and the world. ACM CRC is excited to accelerate the R&D required to enable the execution. “This Australian value creation and self-sufficiency allow Australia to navigate the changing economic order, where products will be made by the smartest nations, not those with the lowest cost of labour.” ACM CRC began operations in January 2023, and has supported and successfully executed industry-led projects with applications including surviving the incredibly high temperatures in orbital rocket launches and hypersonic flight, automating manufacture of smart surfboards, and structural health monitoring for offshore structures. The CRC involves over 30 partners, and has long-term goals including transforming Australia’s established composite technologies capability into a world-class, highly automated, digitally enabled network of designers, manufacturers and service providers, as well as enabling […]