In summer 2023, a fourth QUEX theme, Mineral Security and Sustainability, was added to the three existing themes that underpin the work of the Institute. The theme will be jointly led by Professor Karen Hudson-Edwards (Professor in Sustainable Mining at the University of Exeter), and Professor Daniel Franks (Deputy Director of research, Sustainable Minerals Institute at The University of Queensland).
As well as building on globally recognised expertise in this area at both Exeter and UQ, this theme was chosen to reflect the critical importance of minerals in the modern world, and in recognition of the challenges that their extraction and supply present - particularly in social and environmental terms.
Mineral security exists when all people have sufficient and affordable access to the minerals necessary for human development, including for shelter, mobility, communication, energy and sustenance. Minerals provide the bricks and concrete for our shelter, the mineral fertilisers fundamental for agriculture, the copper that enables global communication, the lithium that is fuelling the renewable energy transition, and the gravel and stone that builds bridges and paves rural roads. However, there are major challenges in the supply of minerals and the environmental and social consequences of their extraction, processing and use that demand innovation and practice change. Minerals are also currently the only natural resource not featured explicitly in the Sustainable Development Goals, with a potential outcome of this theme greater international recognition and understanding for how minerals can meaningfully contribute to human development whilst supporting and enabling the SDG targets.
For more on the critical importance of mineral security, and their relative lack of prominence within the UN SDGs, do watch Daniel Franks’ excellent TEDx UQ talk on the subject (11 mins).
Both the UK and Australian governments have placed emphasis on this area of research, with the UK government’s Foreign Affairs Committee recently publishing, 'A rock and a hard place: building critical mineral resilience' in December 2023. This report highlighted how critical some minerals are ‘to the UK’s national security, to its economic resilience and to its ability to meet net zero targets.’
The Australian government has also underscored the importance of minerals and the potential of the high-quality minerals sourced in Australia to help the world to modernise and decarbonise. Consequently, the Federal Government is supporting the development of new industries to process critical minerals in Australia.
This new addition to the UQ-Exeter collaborative partnership will leverage the research and knowledge expertise of both universities, which have mining schools ranked among the top 15 globally (2023 QS World University Rankings, for Mineral & Mining Engineering), offering real potential to impact policy and catalyse world-leading developments within this crucial area.
