MELBOURNE: Australia said that it has partnered with the US and Canada to launch an interactive map of rare earth and other essential mineral reserves that are projected to be in high demand as the globe transitions to cleaner energy sources. The website https://portal.ga.gov.au/persona/cmmi includes the world’s largest dataset of minerals such as cobalt, lithium, and rare earth elements, with over 7,000 mineral samples from over 60 nations that could aid in the discovery of new key mineral locations.
According to Keith Pitt, the minister for resources, water and northern Australia, the data can be used by governments to identify opportunities for diversifying their vital mineral sources and by firms to better target their exploration activities.
“While Australia is famed for its vast gold and iron ore deposits around the world, we also have an abundance of vital minerals that are used in everything from iPhones to fighter jets,” he continued.
Rare earths are utilized in electric vehicle batteries, a wide range of consumer devices, satellites, and lasers, and China is the leading supplier. In the face of commercial and political difficulties with China, Western governments have been eager to diversify procurement. The US announced earlier this month that it would cooperate with partners to source and process the minerals required for electric vehicle batteries in the United States.
Geoscience Australia, the Geological Survey of Canada, and the United States Geological Survey collaborated to create the dataset.
(Melanie Burton contributed reporting, and Edwina Gibbs edited the piece.)
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