1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,639 Speaker 1: We learned earlier in the week when the Prime Minister 2 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:06,560 Speaker 1: Anthony Albanezi and the US President Donald Trump, when they met, 3 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:11,800 Speaker 1: they signed this landmark agreement on Critical Minerals and rare Earths. Well, 4 00:00:11,840 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: it will see a pipeline of priority projects delivered with 5 00:00:14,880 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: financial commitments also announced by the Australian government. So US 6 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:23,480 Speaker 1: one hundred million dollars in equity investment has been committed 7 00:00:23,800 --> 00:00:27,159 Speaker 1: to the Arafura Nolan's project in the NT. So what 8 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: does it mean for the sector? Well, joining us on 9 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,879 Speaker 1: the line is Catherine Tilmouth, the executive director of the 10 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,519 Speaker 1: Minerals Council of Australia's NT branch. Good morning to. 11 00:00:36,520 --> 00:00:39,600 Speaker 2: You, Cat, Good morning Katie. How are you yeah? 12 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:41,840 Speaker 1: Really good? Great to have you on the show now, 13 00:00:41,920 --> 00:00:45,720 Speaker 1: kat How significant is the US one hundred million dollar 14 00:00:45,880 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: equity investment into the araf Youra Nolan's project. 15 00:00:50,760 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 2: Look, it was a pretty amazing announcement that came out 16 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,600 Speaker 2: of the US earlier this week. And to have a 17 00:00:56,640 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 2: project right here in the Northern Territory at the very 18 00:00:59,640 --> 00:01:02,360 Speaker 2: front of the line to get some of this funding 19 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 2: is a massive deal, you know. So we know that 20 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 2: Arafura has been you know, working really hard in the 21 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:12,000 Speaker 2: background for quite a few years to get to the 22 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:13,360 Speaker 2: point where they're going to be able to make for 23 00:01:14,240 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 2: the FID decision and then they're going to be able 24 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,440 Speaker 2: to kick off with this sort of investment coming in. 25 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:25,279 Speaker 2: You know. They even had Daryl Kazubo, who's the CEO 26 00:01:25,319 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 2: of the company, talk about plans for next year, which 27 00:01:29,600 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 2: will come after FID. So we're so close we could 28 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:36,399 Speaker 2: to almost touch it for this sort of project to 29 00:01:36,440 --> 00:01:39,559 Speaker 2: get off the grounds, and it's going to be a huge, huge, 30 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:43,120 Speaker 2: game changing project in the Northern Territory and especially down 31 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:44,120 Speaker 2: near Alice Springs. 32 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:46,840 Speaker 1: So talk me through you know, what we can expect 33 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:50,320 Speaker 1: once this project does get into underway, Like how many 34 00:01:50,320 --> 00:01:52,960 Speaker 1: people are we expecting to be employed? What, you know, 35 00:01:53,120 --> 00:01:54,280 Speaker 1: give us some context. 36 00:01:55,200 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, So, in the plans for this, because it is 37 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,960 Speaker 2: such a huge project, they're doing not only the mind 38 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:04,400 Speaker 2: but the processing facility, which is what Denouncement is really 39 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 2: focused on making sure that Australia has the capability to 40 00:02:07,760 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 2: process the minerals that we have rather than rely on 41 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:14,680 Speaker 2: overseas processing and all of that's done in China. So 42 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:17,680 Speaker 2: for our fire in particular, they're looking at about six 43 00:02:17,760 --> 00:02:21,120 Speaker 2: hundred jobs in the construction phase and then three hundred 44 00:02:21,120 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 2: and fifty ongoing jobs when it's in full operation. And 45 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,440 Speaker 2: it's not only just the jobs that you get from 46 00:02:27,440 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 2: these sort of projects. What we know, especially in the 47 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:33,680 Speaker 2: Northern Territory where our minds are out in very remote areas, 48 00:02:34,120 --> 00:02:35,960 Speaker 2: is you then get the investment that's going to go 49 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:39,480 Speaker 2: into infrastructure, so you're upgrading roads you know there'll be 50 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 2: more capacity, and into airlines to make sure that people 51 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:45,800 Speaker 2: are able to get in and out of these areas. 52 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:49,880 Speaker 2: The rail lines, you've got more services that come in 53 00:02:50,280 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 2: to support these people working. So we did a study 54 00:02:54,200 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 2: very recently through the Minerals Council that found in the 55 00:02:57,040 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 2: Northern Territory in particular, one job in the mining history 56 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 2: actually equates to six others in the broader community. So 57 00:03:04,639 --> 00:03:07,679 Speaker 2: it actually helps the territory grow not just from that 58 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,800 Speaker 2: person that has a job and a paycheck coming directly 59 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 2: from the mind, but also the broader community that supports. 60 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 2: You know, these people have to eat somewhere, but yet 61 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:19,560 Speaker 2: they're washing done. They've got to do all the other 62 00:03:19,600 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 2: things and spend their paycheck. So it's a really really 63 00:03:21,840 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 2: big deal to have that many new jobs created in 64 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:25,359 Speaker 2: the NT. 65 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:28,400 Speaker 1: It is. It would be a huge It be a 66 00:03:28,480 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 1: huge thing once it does get up and going. I 67 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:35,320 Speaker 1: mean with the increased international attention and that investment, what 68 00:03:35,400 --> 00:03:38,040 Speaker 1: are the biggest challenges you know, that we're facing in 69 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: terms of getting it going and getting things moving. 70 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 2: Look, I think our furor is pretty set, you know, 71 00:03:45,640 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 2: it's had a lot of focus from the federal government 72 00:03:48,200 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 2: and everyone wants to see it over the line. But 73 00:03:50,360 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 2: what we've got now is an opportunity for the rest 74 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:54,800 Speaker 2: of the projects that are in the pipeline for the 75 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 2: Northern Territory. So we've proven we've got the capability capacity 76 00:03:58,600 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 2: we can do these sorts of things. We have seventeen 77 00:04:02,320 --> 00:04:06,880 Speaker 2: globally recognized critical minerals sitting in the Northern Territory. These 78 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:09,320 Speaker 2: are the things that the rest of the world wants 79 00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:12,720 Speaker 2: and needs for all of their technology, you know, the 80 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 2: electric vehicles, of the solar panels, the mobile phones, everything. 81 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 2: We have them. So this is a great opportunity for 82 00:04:19,600 --> 00:04:22,480 Speaker 2: the Northern Territory to go. We are great, we can 83 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:25,520 Speaker 2: do this. We do mining very well and make sure 84 00:04:25,560 --> 00:04:28,359 Speaker 2: that when they're considering the rest of the projects for 85 00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 2: this funding stream that we stay at the front of 86 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:35,359 Speaker 2: the line because we know that New South Wales, Western Australia, Seinsland, 87 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,720 Speaker 2: they're all chomping at the bit to get their hands 88 00:04:38,760 --> 00:04:41,280 Speaker 2: on this funding stream so that they can get their 89 00:04:41,320 --> 00:04:44,720 Speaker 2: projects over the line as well. Like, it's a tough competition, 90 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 2: and we've got to prove that the NTY is where 91 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:48,599 Speaker 2: the investment should be made. 92 00:04:48,800 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 1: So then when you look more broadly in terms of 93 00:04:51,680 --> 00:04:54,600 Speaker 1: the Northern Territory, you know, playing our part in meeting 94 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: the global demand for rare earths and critical minerals, where 95 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:00,320 Speaker 1: do you like, do you see us in a really 96 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:02,400 Speaker 1: good position for the next decade. 97 00:05:03,520 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 2: Well, definitely, Look we've seen like if the geopolitical decisions 98 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:11,840 Speaker 2: that have been made, China has really controlled and made 99 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 2: long like many years kind of programs and planned to 100 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:19,040 Speaker 2: have control over the critical mineral space, so they can 101 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,320 Speaker 2: dictate who, what we're and how much. And it means 102 00:05:22,360 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 2: that everyone else in the world needs to really see 103 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:28,039 Speaker 2: what they can do in regards to shoring up their 104 00:05:28,080 --> 00:05:30,800 Speaker 2: supply chain. And so that's one of the main reasons 105 00:05:30,839 --> 00:05:33,960 Speaker 2: why the US and Australia has joined together so that 106 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,679 Speaker 2: they are able to access, utilize, and invest in critical 107 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:40,640 Speaker 2: minerals for all of this technology that's going to be built, 108 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:43,040 Speaker 2: so that they have access to it and it's not 109 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:49,160 Speaker 2: just dictated by another foreign company, sorry, foreign country like China. 110 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:52,279 Speaker 2: So Australia having the things that the US needs and 111 00:05:52,360 --> 00:05:55,760 Speaker 2: vice versa. It's great to have that sort of really 112 00:05:55,760 --> 00:05:58,400 Speaker 2: strong relationship we already have with the United States and 113 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:00,760 Speaker 2: to have them an ally in this processing. 114 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: Well. Kat Tillmouth, the executive director of the Minerals Council 115 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:08,960 Speaker 1: of Australia's NT branch. Great to speak with you this morning, 116 00:06:09,000 --> 00:06:11,600 Speaker 1: and hopefully as things progress we'll catch up with you 117 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: a bit more often. 118 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:15,119 Speaker 2: Absolutely love to bring you good news, Katie. 119 00:06:15,440 --> 00:06:17,520 Speaker 1: Well, we appreciate it, right and I think when we 120 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:20,039 Speaker 1: look at this sector at this point in time, it 121 00:06:20,160 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 1: does seem as though we are going to you know, 122 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 1: potentially be front and center. 123 00:06:26,160 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 2: Oh well with this and the b bloo. You know, 124 00:06:28,480 --> 00:06:29,479 Speaker 2: we are the place to be. 125 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: What's happening. What's happening? Yeah, Kat, good to speak with 126 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: you this morning. Really appreciate it you too. Thank you.