Australian Research Centre Steps up Minerals Technology

A new research centre in Western Australia is set to enhance key research in hydrometallurgy technology.

The new Australian Minerals Research Centre (AMRC) will be located at The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) site in Perth, the state's capital.

Hydrometallurgy is the science that underpins most Australian mineral processing operations – it generates more than $20bn a year in exports.

The CSIRO says analytical facilities at the Waterford site will allow researchers to identify which minerals are present in a sample using cutting-edge technology such as X-ray microtomography.

In a bid to encourage further industry interaction the AMRC is planning to establish more facilities to house technology groups from its industry end users.