Why it’s important to deliver this project for Queensland
The Queensland Resources Common User Facility (QRCUF) is a key project supporting Queensland's critical minerals industry. We’re delivering this project in collaboration with the Department of Natural Resources and Mines, Manufacturing and Regional and Rural Development.
It’s also a key action under the Queensland Resources Industry Development Plan and aligns with the $315 million Queensland Critical Minerals Strategy.
The QRCUF will be located at the Cleveland Bay Industrial Park in Townsville, North Queensland. This is within the Townsville State Development Area.
Queensland’s North-West and North-East minerals provinces are a significant global source of critical minerals and rare earths. They provide enormous potential for the region to mine and produce these minerals.
The state has the potential to become a leading producer and exporter of new-economy minerals. Delivering common user infrastructure will support the development, extraction and production of critical minerals in Queensland.
The aim of the facility is to:
- de-risk development of critical mineral projects
- accelerate the development of commercial mining projects
- promote investment in advanced mineral manufacturing opportunities
- enable development of supply chain and supporting industries.
The function of the facilityThe facility will be a hub to trial production processes for commercialisation, enabling prospective miners to begin producing mineral samples at scale.
The facility will be able to:
- trial production processes and research intermediate / end products
- assess potential by-products, waste streams and recyclable streams
- train staff on equipment, processes and handling hazardous materials
- demonstrate processes at scale to validate commerciality and technical viability
- produce product samples for customers to attract finance, investor interest, secure off-take agreements and partnerships.
Focus of the facility
The initial focus will be on vanadium with the capacity to expand over time to encompass processing other critical minerals, like cobalt and rare earth elements.
Vanadium has many uses. One is to create a reliable and safe renewable energy storage solution which can be used in large-scale batteries around the world.
Several mining companies in Queensland are seeking to develop critical minerals projects, like the vanadium projects in the Julia Creek and Richmond regions.
What’s next for delivery of this project
Construction is well underway at the Cleveland Bay Industrial Park in the Townsville State Development Area.
The Coordinator-General is partnering with Sedgman Pty Ltd, a member of the CIMIC Group, as the managing contractor. Sedgman is responsible for the detailed design, procurement, construction and commissioning of the facility.
Construction and commissioning of the facility is scheduled for completion in late 2026. Once completed, companies will be able to access the facility to trial extraction and production processes.
QRCUF facts
- $500 billion – estimated value of North Queensland’s critical mineral reserves
- 80+ local jobs – expected during construction – expected during construction
- Late 2026 – anticipated opening date for the QRCUF
- First in Australia – QRCUF is the nation’s first shared facility for mineral processing
Contact us
We welcome interest from the private sector in the future use of the facility. Please contact QRCUF@coordinatorgeneral.qld.gov.au for further information.