"Fast 5" on abstracts with Andrew Curtis
As the call for abstracts opens for the Critical Minerals Conference 2026, Advisory Committee Member Andrew Curtis shares his insights to guide authors. With the sector evolving at unprecedented speed and critical minerals now central to the global energy transition, Andrew highlights why contributing to this year’s program matters more than ever.
In this Q&A, he reflects on the growing industry momentum since AusIMM’s inaugural 2023 conference, outlining how submitting an abstract not only elevates professional visibility but helps shape the conversations steering the future of the critical minerals value chain.
Andrew also discusses the expanded 2026 conference themes, the topics he’s personally eager to see explored, and the common pitfalls that can hold submissions back.
For anyone preparing to showcase new research, innovations or lessons learned, his practical advice offers a clear roadmap to crafting a compelling and conference‑ready abstract.
What makes submitting an abstract for the Critical Minerals Conference 2026 worthwhile for professionals and organisations?
The inaugural AusIMM Critical Minerals Conference was held in 2023, and industry support for the conference continues to grow by facilitating important and relevant conversations related to the critical minerals sector.
Critical Minerals are essential in many of the clean/green energy technologies. Due to the rapid evolving nature of the industry, there is an increasing need to collaborate with stakeholders across all stages of the value chain. By submitting an abstract, you will receive the following benefits:
- Your abstract will provide the opportunity to showcase recent research, innovation, trends and lessons learned.
- Increased visibility for you/your company - AusIMM will leverage strategic partnerships with industry bodies and associations across the globe
- By sharing your story, you will be part of the conversation that assists in shaping industry direction.
The 2026 program introduces several new and expanded themes — which topics are the Advisory Committee most eager to showcase this year?
The Advisory Committee for CMC 2026 have expanded the conference program to encourage contributions from policy makers, funding institutions, researchers, consultants and operating companies across a range of themes. The themes for the 2026 conference have been finalized as shown below:
- Strategy, Geopolitics and National Capability
- Markets and Finance
- Advances in processing, manufacturing and associated technologies
- Exploration, discovery and resource development
- Sustainability
- Governance and Social
What topics are you personally interested in hearing about this year?
From a personal perspective, I am particularly interested in abstracts related to geopolitics and how some countries are reacting by developing their own sovereign capabilities. Given the current imbalance in capability/understanding for downstream processing of critical minerals, I am also looking forward to seeing abstracts detailing recent advancements across the value chain. Finally, as active participants in the critical minerals sector, it is paramount that we follow proper governance and engage in an ethical manner with communities to deliver mutual long term benefits in a sustainable way.
What are the most common pitfalls that lead to abstracts being declined, and how can authors strengthen their submissions to avoid them?
Abstracts are often declined for a variety of reasons including not following submission guidelines , professional integrity issues (eg plagiarism), incoherent content, and resubmission of previously published work etc
Authors will be strongly encouraged to read the submission guidelines prior to submitting their abstract. The key to getting an abstract accepted is making sure that the content aligns with the specific themes and focus areas.
Are there specific best practices (or common missteps) in crafting submissions, or choosing keywords that help reviewers recognise an abstract’s value?
Due to the popularity of AI, it is anticipated that some authors may use tools such as Chat GPT, CoPilot etc to create their abstract. While we recognize that this is being normalized, authors are reminded to check and validate all content. Also, it is good practice to get an independent person to critique the abstract prior to submission.
Andrew has over 35 years of experience in the mining industry, including client and engineering consultant roles. He is currently working at Fluor as Technical Director in the Mining & Metals business line, focused on critical minerals including manganese, graphite, lithium, nickel and rare earths. In addition, he is also the Global Functional Lead, Process Technology.