November 18, 2024

Navigating the future of critical minerals

Experts come together at UOW to tackle critical mineral supply chain issues

Unlocking much-needed solutions to the supply chain and security challenges to the sourcing of critical minerals in Australia, India, China, and the ASEAN was the focus of a recent event hosted by the University of Wollongong (UOW).

The October conference, Economic and Policy Analysis of the Supply Chain Aspects of Critical Minerals, was jointly organised by Associate Professor Rabindra Nepal from UOW’s School of Business and Dr Han Phoumin from the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA).

^{Associate Professor Rabindra Nepal jointly organised the event with Dr Han Phoumin from ERIA}

Conference attendees came together to uncover solutions to supply chain challenges facing critical minerals essential for a sustainable energy transition. With rising demand for these resources across Australia, India, China and ASEAN countries, participants explored ways to secure mineral supplies essential for renewable energy, electric vehicles and other green technologies.

Associate Professor Nepal said supply chain and security challenges are a critical area of focus, especially as we work toward a clean energy future.

“Pricing uncertainties have the potential to delay necessary investments in the critical minerals sector, which could impact future mineral availability,” Associate Professor Nepal said.

“Understanding pricing aspects, including their relationship with both conventional and clean energy markets, is crucial for supporting the global energy transition.”

^{Professor Grace McCarthy and Dr Han Phoumin from ERIA}

The conference brought together experts from universities across Australia and globally, including the University of Queensland, Monash University, University of Western Australia, University of Technology Sydney, Macquarie University, Murdoch University, Copenhagen Business School, the University of Oxford, and the University of Pennsylvania.

“The energy transition is mining-intensive. Ensuring a sustainable and secure supply of critical minerals is a significant economic and policy challenge,” said Associate Professor Nepal.

“We need policies and frameworks that will support long-term stability in the sector and foster collaboration across countries to meet growing demand sustainably.”

^{Conference attendees came together to uncover solutions to supply chain challenges facing critical minerals}

In addition to presenting valuable research, the event served as a key networking opportunity, allowing academics and PhD students to engage with industry and policy experts from around the world. The event’s outputs will also be translated into book chapters to be published at a later date by Springer.

The conference was funded by ERIA and represents a core component of an ongoing project administered at UOW under Associate Professor Nepal’s leadership.

“We are hopeful that the insights and relationships developed will lead to actionable solutions for securing critical mineral supplies essential for the world’s transition to a greener future.”