Copper and Australia's Strategic Minerals List

This matter is significant to almost every miner in Australia. A1M is among those set to gain.

Australia updated its list of critical minerals and created a new list of strategic materials 16 December 2023.

https://www.industry.gov.au/news/updates-australias-critical-minerals-list

The new Strategic Materials List consists of 6 minerals: copper, nickel, aluminium, phosphorous, tin and zinc.

The AFR report of the initiative spiralled off into a grumble from Ni miners who think they should be on the critical list, not the strategic one.

Reuters is more balanced:

Australia deems copper, nickel strategic, opens funding pathway. December 18, 2023

MELBOURNE, Dec 18 (Reuters) - Australia has opened a door to government funding for copper and nickel projects, putting them on a list of materials deemed essential to the global energy transition but which have not yet faced supply chain disruptions.

Strategic materials will be able to access some $40 billion in government support from agencies including Export Finance Australia, The Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility, The Clean Energy Finance Corporation, The Value Adding in Resources Stream as well as the National Reconstruction Fund.

The new strategic materials list is separate from the country's critical minerals list and will include copper, nickel, aluminium, phosphorous, tin, and zinc, all of which have well-established industries, global market depth, price transparency, and stable supply chains.

"These minerals are critical to the greening of our economy and the defence of Australia and our allies," Resources Minister Madeleine King said in a statement on Saturday.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/australia-deems-copper-nickel-strategic-opens-funding-pathway-2023-12-18/

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Eloise/Jericho is northerly enough for NAIF and likely ticks enough boxes for other agencies too.

We holders would like a subsidy for works AC & team were going to do anyway, reducing risk and increasing profitability.

Government may be dull work but isn't stupid. They want to 'leverage' the use of taxpayers' money, fostering economic activity and bringing new capacity into existence.

AC could likely make a case for resource definition drilling at Jericho, thought I doubt government would be interested in high risk exploration drilling.

Ash