KOREA INSTITUTE OF GEOSCIENCE AND MINERAL RESOURCES

Meeting with Minister of Queensland

On July 14, 2023, there was a meeting for "future collaboration on critical minerals" in Seoul, Korea between Dr. Pyeong-Koo Lee, a President of Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral resources(KIGAM), and Mr. Scott Stewart, a Minister for Department of Resources, Queensland, Australia. The meeting was aimed to discuss future cooperative areas and collaborative research projects between KIGAM and Queensland. Mr. Tony Knight, a Chief Government Geologist, and Mr. Warwick Agnew, a Director General for Department of Resources, Queensland, Australia, also attended the meeting.

At this meeting, both sides discussed cooperation in resources concentration and smelting technologies R&D and joint exploration of critical minerals between KIGAM and GSQ. In detail, they mentioned collaborative research projects by using undeveloped mines and tailing ponds in Queensland as test beds. They also suggested cooperation in recycling technology of electric vehicles' used batteries.

Dr. Pyeong-Koo Lee said that "It is time for establishing more close relationship with Australia, a resource-rich country, by utilizing resources of Australia and technologies of KIGAM to secure a stable supply chain of critical minerals." Also, he added that "KIGAM will take the lead in securing supply chains of critical minerals in Korea with this international cooperation with Australia."

Meanwhile, KIGAM has been conducting research in the field of exploration, concentration and smelting of critical minerals and recycling of resources for about 30 years, which made KIGAM to have related original technologies. KIGAM has also actively cooperated internationally with many institutions from various nations such as Western Australia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Vietnam.