Australia, 22 August 2023 – Nyrstar, an international producer of critical minerals and metals and a leading producer of refined zinc in Australia, has today released its submission to the Australian Federal Government’s Critical Minerals List issues paper providing a series of recommendations designed to better align the country’s strategic approach to critical minerals with its international partners.
Nyrstar’s submission advocates for the inclusion of zinc to Australia’s Critical Minerals List due to the growing requirement for it in the development and manufacture of a range of technologies, the role it plays in unlocking other critical minerals, and the considerable risk facing the supply chain for the metal due to the increasing concentration of zinc processing.
“Zinc is among the most used metal on earth playing an indispensable role in the development and manufacture of thousands of products important to Australia, our trading region, and our strategic partners. By including zinc on its Critical Minerals list Australia will join other nations including the US, Canada and South Korea and open up opportunities to strategically cooperate in addressing mutual supply chain risks,” Nyrstar’s Co-CEO, Dale Webb, said today.
“The market for minerals is an international one with supply chains for products and technologies spanning the globe, making it imperative for Australia’s Critical Minerals List to consider the economic security needs of both the nation and its international partners. By working together with allied nations to examine the supply and demand dynamics across the region and identify the risks or opportunities these pose, Australia has the potential to exponentially increase its ability to secure a more sustainable and prosperous future.
“Australia has an opportunity to move beyond an extract and export approach to its resources, and its Critical Minerals List presents an opportunity to strategically identify opportunities where it can play a greater role in zinc and other metals processing. To do this will require an assessment of resources that moves beyond the quality and volume of Australia’s minerals and instead takes greater account of the entire value chain.
“When thinking critical minerals, Australia needs to start thinking beyond just batteries. The clean energy transition is driving significant and rapid change in the volume of minerals and metals the world needs to support a diversity of low carbon energy solutions. Australia’s Critical Minerals List will benefit from a broader consideration of emerging technologies and products necessary for the growth of modern, industrialised economies, and the resources that are integral to their supply chains.
“Some critical minerals are not found in great volumes in Australia, but we know that they can be unlocked through the processing of other metals the world needs. Germanium, gallium and indium are just examples of some of the critical minerals that can be produced through processing zinc. Australia’s Critical Minerals List should consider every opportunity that metals processing can provide in securing a new advantage for the nation and its international partners,” Mr Webb said.
Read Nyrstar’s submission to the Government on the Critical Minerals List issues paper here.
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About us:
About Nyrstar
Nyrstar is an international producer of critical minerals and metals essential for a low carbon future with mining, smelting and other operations located in Europe, the United States and Australia.
Nyrstar’s operating business is wholly owned by Trafigura, one of the world’s leading independent commodity trading and supply chain logistics companies.
Nyrstar Australia is a national multi-metals processing and refining business, operating in Port Pirie and Hobart for over 100 years to produce lead, silver, zinc, and many other materials that are essential for the manufacture of products used by everyone, every day.
Nyrstar Australia employs over 1,300 people across processing plants in Port Pirie and Hobart that operate as two interlinked sites and play a critical role in increasing the value of the metals and minerals obtained from resources sourced from across Australia and around the world.
Visit: www.nyrstar.com
Contact details:
Nyrstar Australia: +61 (0) 467 775 055 or media@nyrstar.com
