US Consul-General visits Queensland critical minerals corridor
Prior to his keynote appearance at AusIMM’s Critical Minerals Conference 2026, United States Consul-General Jeremy Cornforth visited Queensland's Northwest Minerals Province, highlighting growing international interest in the state's critical minerals sector.
The August visit came ahead of the Queensland Government's Trade Mission to the United States and included meetings with local government representatives, industry organisations and resource companies, as well as tours of operating mines, processing facilities and investment-ready projects between Mount Isa and Townsville.
The tour followed the launch of the Queensland Government's Delivering Queensland's Critical Minerals Future 2026-30 strategy, which is backed by $146 million in funding to accelerate project development, attract investment and strengthen critical minerals supply chains.
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli said critical minerals would play a key role in the state's economic future, with Queensland focused on accelerating the extraction, processing and export of high-value resources while growing international investment.
The visit also reflected the increasing importance of critical minerals to the Australia-United States relationship. Demand for these commodities continues to rise globally as countries seek secure supplies for renewable energy technologies, advanced manufacturing, battery production and defence applications.
Mr Cornforth described critical minerals cooperation as an increasingly important pillar of the alliance between the two nations.
"The United States and Australia have always stood together as allies. In the years ahead, our cooperation on critical minerals will become one of the central pillars of that alliance."
Queensland Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dale Last said the visit demonstrated international confidence in the state's resources sector and future development opportunities. Several Queensland projects have already received support through funding from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.
Regional leaders also welcomed the opportunity to showcase the Northwest Minerals Province, highlighting its significance as a major resources region and a potential supplier of the critical minerals needed to support global supply chains.
As demand for critical minerals continues to grow, Queensland's resource-rich north is attracting increasing attention from governments and investors seeking reliable sources of supply. Mr Cornforth's visit reinforced the region's strategic importance and its growing role in future critical minerals development.