Critical Minerals / METS – Page 2 – WA Innovation Calendar

AMEC Meet the Developer Breakfast

Hear directly from resource company leaders on project priorities, procurement needs and the challenges shaping development today.

The next AMEC Meet the Developers Breakfast, sponsored by ReGen Strategic and Hancock Iron Ore, brings together a panel of resource company leaders navigating the realities of advancing projects in today’s market environment.

Join senior executives from Australian Vanadium, Element 25, Lunnon Metals, Win Metals and Impact Minerals as they share insights into current project priorities, operational challenges, procurement considerations and where they see opportunities ahead.

Designed for AMEC’s service provider network, this discussion offers a practical look at what explorers and developers need from industry partners, from technical capability and innovation through to reliability, responsiveness and long-term support.

With commodity markets shifting and project pipelines evolving, this breakfast is an opportunity to better understand the pressures, expectations and decision-making shaping the sector right now.

Community Coffee – Perth – Meet the Members this June

Join CORE Innovation Hub for a coffee and a chat and meet the local Perth energy and mining ecosystem.
With World Environment Day coming up, this coffee catch up is a chance for METS, MRIWA and CORE Innovation Hub to connect around how research, skills and collaboration are shaping more sustainable mining outcomes.

Community Coffee is a great way to meet local innovators, technologists and entrepreneurs working to solve some of the big challenges. This is your opportunity to connect with CORE members and guests and find out more about the opportunities and the challenges within the sector.

DEADLINE: Director of Curtin Materials Institute

Curtin Materials Institute (CMI): Advancing Materials, Shaping the Future

Curtin University is seeking an exceptional and visionary leader to serve as the inaugural Director of the Curtin Materials Institute. The CMI is a newly-established research institute that captures Curtin’s capability across the breadth of materials research. This is a rare opportunity to build, shape and lead a high-profile institute that consolidates Curtin’s world-class sustainable materials research across advanced manufacturing, green metals and composites, energy systems and battery materials, mineral processing, construction materials and corrosion science.

CMI unites previously distributed strengths across schools, and research centres, creating a cohesive platform that elevates Curtin’s leadership in materials innovation. The Institute serves as a central gateway for industry and government engagement, research funding, and global recognition, with a mission to tackle major industrial, national, and sustainability challenges through both fundamental science and application-driven innovation. The Institute is underpinned by world-class analytical facilities housed within the John de Laeter Centre (https://jdlc.curtin.edu.au).

DeepStart 2026 – Discovery Session

Join us for an online Discovery Session

Learn more about DeepStart, Curtin’s new accelerator for deep tech founders. In this session, we’ll walk through the program, what to expect, key benefits, and how to prepare a strong application. There’ll also be time for Q&A.

Date: Wednesday, 20 May 2026
Time: 12pm–1pm
Venue: Online (Microsoft Teams)

A Teams link will be sent to registered attendees closer to the event.

DEADLINE: DeepStart Accelerator Program

DeepStart is designed for early stage Australian teams building technology solutions grounded in research and scientific innovation.

Eligible teams include:

Researchers developing technologies with commercial potential
Startups commercialising scientific or engineering breakthroughs
Innovative SMEs developing technology-enabled business models

Technology areas supported include, but are not limited to:

Critical minerals and processing technologies
Energy systems and transition technologies
Resource and mining technologies
Advanced manufacturing and enabling deep technologies
AI-enabled productivity tools

Backed by the RTCM Trailblazer, with supporting funding from Melt Ventures, DeepStart offers one of the largest pools of early-stage accelerator funding in Australia, alongside direct access to national and international pathways through partners Cicada Innovations and Greentown Labs.

DeepStart will run from Thursday, 30 July to Thursday, 8 October, with six fortnightly sessions held on Thursday afternoons, delivered in person in Perth and online for interstate teams. The program concludes with the DeepStart Industry & Investor Showcase on Tuesday, 20 October.

Site visit: PROK Australia manufacturing facility in Perth WA

Join Engineers Australia for an exclusive site visit to PROK’s Western Australian facility, a global leader in conveyor component manufacturing. This session offers a deep dive into the engineering precision required to support the world’s most demanding mining operations.

Participants will explore the end-to-end production of high-performance pulleys and rollers, gaining insights into advanced automation, material science, and the rigorous testing protocols that ensure reliability in extreme environments. We will address the technical challenges of conveyor optimisation and the innovative design shifts currently driving efficiency and sustainability across the bulk materials handling industry.

Beyond the machinery, this tour focuses on the practical application of engineering excellence in a local manufacturing context. Attendees will engage with PROK’s technical experts to discuss real-world maintenance strategies, failure analysis, and the integration of smart technology into traditional hardware. This is a unique opportunity to see how Western Australian engineering is setting international benchmarks for safety and throughput.

Whether you are involved in asset management, structural design, or mechanical operations, you will walk away with a bolstered understanding of the lifecycle and performance of critical conveyor infrastructure.

Australian Financial Review Mining Summit

The Australian Financial Review Mining Summit 2026, presented by the Minerals Council of Australia.

📅 Wednesday 27 May 2026
📍 The Ritz-Carlton Perth

The forum will bring together senior government officials and business to explore the opportunities and challenges of Australia’s mining and resources sectors.

Attendees can expect to hear insights and advice across a range of topics, including:

the future of mining in Australia;rare earths and critical minerals; investment appetite across the industry; and digitalisation and decarbonisation.

DEADLINE: AEA Innovate Grant Round 3

Innovate grants support mid-stage research commercialisation through competitive grants of up to $5 million for a maximum period of 24 months.

These grants are available for researchers at Australian universities to collaborate with industry to advance projects that already have laboratory proof-of-concept.

Grant recipients are expected to be able to increase the technology and commercial readiness of their innovation to reach proof-of-scale. This includes developing and testing prototypes or pilots for new products, processes or software in an industry-relevant environment.

TRaCE R&D Co-Funding Webinar

Innovative businesses in clean energy and recycling are invited to this webinar to learn about co-funding options available through the Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE) program. You’ll also hear directly from Mark Armstrong of CO2 Australia, one of our partners, on how it’s enabled their innovation journey.This interactive session will run on Friday 24 April from 12:30 to 1:30 AEST, and in addition to funding, will cover access to the University’s facilities, expertise, and the application process.

Powering Below: The Future of Subsea Energy

Exploring the technologies, infrastructure and partnerships shaping the next era of offshore energy systems. As global energy systems evolve, the role of subsea infrastructure is becoming increasingly critical — from enabling offshore renewables to supporting the transition of traditional oil and gas operations.

Join CORE Innovation Hub and Subsea Energy Australia for a special CORE Connect event bringing together industry, innovators and the broader ecosystem to explore what lies beneath the surface.

This session will unpack the technologies shaping subsea energy, the infrastructure required to support it, and the partnerships needed to deliver at scale. From electrification and remote operations to emerging opportunities in offshore wind, carbon capture and subsea processing, we will dive into the trends redefining the sector.

Expect a dynamic discussion, followed by audience Q&A and the opportunity to connect with others working across energy, resources and technology.