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Whether you are involved in the critical minerals space as an explorer, producer or service provider, there are opportunities offered through both the federal and state government. AMEC has collated a list of funding opportunities and support for members.
These opportunities include a range of monetary support such as grants, subsidies, and more.
If you are aware of other available grants not listed here, please let our team know so that we can add them.
Contact Nicolas Parry – nicolas.parry@amec.org.au
The Critical Minerals Development Program (CMDP) is a three-year initiative that began in 2022 with the objective of advancing Australia’s Critical Minerals Strategy and ensuring long-term sustainable growth in the sector.
Recipient: Early to mid-stage critical mineral projects
Benefits: A combined total of $50 million over 3 years, provided as monetary or in-kind contributions. Recipients can receive a minimum of $1 million and a maximum of $30 million.
Status: Currently closed
The Cooperative Research Centres (CRC) Grants supports industry, research the community through industry-led collaborative research from three years to ten years.
Recipient: medium to long-term research collaboration between at least one Australian industry organisation and one Australian research organisation.
Benefits: Grants of up to 50% for eligible project costs for an industry-led research collaboration
Status: Round 28 will open in 2027 and is also open to applications from other industry sectors and research disciplines.
Status: Ongoing Support
The MPFAC assists eligible developers of projects valued of $20 million.
Recipient: To be an eligible recipient, your project must have $50 million worth of capital investment that is facing regulatory challenges. It must demonstrate contributions towards:
Benefits: providing information on Australian Government regulations and approvals, mapping critical approval pathways and processes, and communicating with regulators.
Status: Apply anytime, by contacting MPFA here
The Tax Incentive aims to stimulate industry investment in research and development in Australia by means of offsetting costs and reducing financial risks involved in R&D.
Recipient: A company may be eligible for the Tax Incentive if it is incorporated under Australian or a foreign law with at list one eligible current, or planned R&D activities. An eligibility self-assessment is available online.
Benefits: level of benefits differ depending on a company’s turnover.
The available loan amount can also vary:
Status: Dependent on eligibility criteria. Check the link
Status: Open
NAIF has a total of up to $7 billion available to support infrastructure developments with potential to generate public benefits for northern Australia across multiple sectors, including Resources, Energy, Transport and Logistics and more. Specifically, NAIF will dedicate $500 million of funding to develop critical minerals projects.
Recipient: NAIF can finance projects within the dedicated area
Status: Dependent on eligibility criteria. Check the link.
Status: FUTURE — STARTS 1 JULY 2027
Status: OPEN – ROUND 34 CO-FUNDED DRILLING
Applicants are invited from businesses who are currently operating in or looking to expand into critical minerals, renewable hydrogen, green iron and steel, carbon capture, utilisation and storage.
Recipient: Applicants can currently be active in Western Australia or international applicants who want to commence operations in the State.
Benefits: the amount varies across applicants.
Status: Round 2 Funding Stream now open until 4 November 2025 at 17:00 AWST.
Apply via – https://iaf.smartygrants.com.au/NewEnergiesIndustriesRound2
The Local Capability Fund (LCF) uplifts Western Australian businesses with financial support to expand, build capabilities and enhance their competitiveness to access greater opportunities across the public and private sectors.
Status: Currently closed
Status: OPEN — CLOSES 25 AUGUST 2026
The $2.5M fund requires a 50% co-investment from successful applicants undertaking drilling, geophysics and geochemistry. The Exploration Program has four funding streams:
Applications open 10am Wednesday April 16 and close 5pm Monday 30 June 2025, with a requirement that projects be completed by 30 September 2027.
Status: Closed
This is a strategic initiative which aims to support mineral resource investment in NSW. It facilitates connections with NSW Government agencies, assists companies about project approvals, requirements, applications and more.
Recipient: Contact Mining, Exploration Geoscience (NSW Resources Regulator) for investment opportunities
Benefits: Industry Advisory and Mining Concierge, Investment Attraction.
Contact: mining.concierge@regional.nsw.gov.au for more information.
Status: Open – Indefinite
A $250M royalty deferral initiative for new critical minerals projects. The deferral applies to projects that commence production between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2030 for a period of up to five years. The repayment of deferred royalties will be subject to indexation.
Status: Open – Projects that commence production between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2030 for a period of up to five years
This Government Initiative encourages the discovery and development Queensland’s critical mineral as a part of the Queensland Resources industry Development Plan (DRIDP). It offers merit-based funding for industry to:
Recipient: requirements for round 9 will be announced in late 2024.
Benefits: A total of $17.5 million is available until June 2024
Status: Closed
This program provides $5 million to recover mineralisation remnants in waste dump to support the development of the State’s critical minerals sector.
Recipient: companies who want to extract critical minerals and reprocessing opportunities.
Benefits: Recipient will receive a nominal sum of up to $100,000 of reimbursement.
Status: Open – until June 2027, or until the $5 million in funding has been exhausted
As a part of the Queensland Critical Minerals Strategy, the Government is reducing the cost of exploration permits to $0 for 5 years which is equivalent to $55 million. This would help lowering the barriers to explore and conducting projects.
Recipient: eligible applicant can be either new, or existing permit holders exploring minerals other than coal.
Benefits: Receive reimbursement or refund on rent.
Status: Open – until 2028
The Queensland Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund supports businesses across different stages of the critical minerals supply chain in the forms of grants and investments.
Recipient: QCMBTF is open to eligible businesses and miners. Applicants must meet the requirements and submit an Expression of Interest form.
Outcomes will be determined by a business’ ability to deliver economic growth, create job opportunities, support private infrastructure development to allow the growth of the critical minerals sector in Queensland, and produce advanced materials using critical minerals in Queensland.
Benefits:
Status: Open – Round 26 open until 29 April 2025 5:00PM AEST
Status: OPEN — CLOSES 11 SEPTEMBER 2026
Resources Victoria has released the guidelines for its previously announced $1,000,000 Advancing Antimony Grants Program.
Benefits:
Labor is boosting Victoria’s critical mineral processing capacity, creating jobs and investment in regional Victoria.
Victoria has Australia’s largest antimony deposits and the nation’s only operating mine at Costerfield.
Minister D’Ambrosio will soon call for proposals from industry, universities and researchers to explore the technical and commercial aspects of processing and how to best establish a state-of-the-art facility.
Antimony mining in Victoria currently employs 278 people. If materials were processed locally, the number of jobs would double.
The Advancing Antimony Grants offer a share of $1 million for proposals to get a Victorian antimony processing industry off the ground.
Status: Closed
The Exploration Drilling Grant Initiative (EDGI) is a co-funded program by the Tasmanian Government designed to encourage greenfield exploration projects in Tasmania.
Recipient: Holders of mining leases, exploration and retention licenses, especially those involved in the critical minerals space. Preference will be given to high-quality, technically and economical sound projects that promote innovative exploration or new exploration concepts and technology.
Benefits: Starting from Round 8, the government has increased funding up to $70,000 to cover drilling costs, with an additional $20,000 available for helicopter support if required.
Status: Currently closed
The Geophysics and Drilling Collaborations (GDC) program is a competitive grants program funded by the NT Government’s $9.5 million per annum Resourcing the Territory program and is administered by the Northern Territory Geological Survey (NTGS).
The program will allocate up to $3 million from the $9.5 million Resourcing the Territory program to share between eligible selected programs to co-fund projects that address geoscientific knowledge gaps, advance exploration activity, and support the discovery and development of resources in the Territory.
Status: Round 19 applications open 17 February 2026 and close 5.00 pm (ACST) 22 April 2026