POSCO Holdings and the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO) have signed a memorandum of understanding to research and develop better ways to process critical minerals for modern technology.
Who are the protagonists?
POSCO, traditionally recognized as a leader in steel, has been expanding its presence in the critical minerals sector. It is currently producing battery-grade lithium on a commercial scale and developing advanced technologies such as Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE).
ANSTO, for its part, is the Australian government’s main scientific agency and one of the pillars of the Australian Critical Minerals R&D Center. Its Minerals unit has driven refining technologies applied to strategic resources such as lithium and rare earths. rare earths.
Details of the agreement
The focus of the agreement is mainly on lithium and rare earths, for which both organizations will develop intermediate and downstream processing technologies to transform the raw ore into high purity chemicals or metals ready for use by industry. They will also hold regular technical exchange meetings to strengthen scientific collaboration.
Global projection
The POSCO Group has strengthened its commitment to strategic minerals in 2025including investments to secure lithium resources and establish partnerships with institutions such as CSIRO and Geoscience Australia. The agreement with ANSTO positions the company at the center of Asia-Pacific collaboration on critical resources.
With this strategy, South Korea and Australia are aligning to ensure a stable supply of critical minerals essential for clean technologies, electric mobility, and new generation batteries. next-generation batteries..
Source: POSCO