The New South Wales Government has revealed promising prospects across the state for the mining of high-purity silica, an essential ingredient in high-tech and clean energy products.
Minister for natural resources Courtney Houssos launched the findings at the WB Clarke Geoscience Centre in Londonderry and said that NSW has all the critical minerals the world needs to power a clean energy future.
“This is another step towards delivering the Minns Labor Government Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy, ensuring that NSW remains a global leader in sustainable exploration and mineral processing,” she said.
“The WB Clarke Geoscience Centre is an invaluable resource for the state. It has supported discoveries that have led to major operations like the Cadia gold mine, and it continues to provide the tools and data that industry leaders rely on.”
High-purity silica is one of the 21 critical minerals found in NSW. It is used to produce silicon for high-tech products such as semiconductors, solar panels, and specialty optical equipment.
WB Clarke Geoscience Centre provided analytical tools and expertise to support the study. Out of 400 samples taken from across the state, 50 contained high-purity silica exceeding 99.8 per cent purity, with the highest recorded value reaching 99.96 per cent.
The study identified silica in a wide number of different forms across the state, including granitic quartz pipes, pegmatites, hydrothermal quartz bodies, and silica-rich sedimentary units.
Chief geoscientist and head of the geological survey of NSW Phil Blevin said that the state remains under-explored for high-purity silica, and renewed exploration could locate new opportunities with the potential to supply global markets.
“Some of these specimens are form mines that are no longer accessible. This gives us insight into critical minerals that in some cases had not even been identified at the times these mines were operating,” he said.
“Access to new and historical materials gives NSW a head start in identifying critical mineral opportunities across the state.”
The NSW Government will launch an Australian-first $200 million royal deferral for new critical minerals projects, partner with industry to co-fund more than $5 million of investments in exploration funding, create the Critical Minerals Ministerial Advisory Committee, and delver more pre-competitive data.