NSW Grant Webinar - Critical Minerals Processing and Advanced Materials Innovation Program - Phase 1
Join the NSW Office of the Chief Scientist & Engineer (OCSE) and NSW Resources to learn more about the Critical Minerals Processing and Advanced Materials Innovation Program (CMPAMIP).
About CMPAMIP
The CMPAMIP is a $4 million, two-phase NSW Government grant program supporting the translation and commercialisation of downstream critical minerals processing technologies and critical‑minerals‑derived advanced materials.
The Program is delivered as part of the NSW Government’s Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy 2024-2035, which outlines the Government’s vision to establish NSW as a leader in critical minerals and high‑tech metals across exploration, mining, processing, recycling, and advanced manufacturing.
For the Program the following definitions apply:
Critical mineral processing: refers to activities that transform mined critical minerals into refined inputs, such as purified metals, oxides or chemical precursors, that prepare minerals for entry into industrial supply chains.
Critical mineral derived advanced materials: refers to high value materials produced from processed critical minerals, such as alloys, permanent magnets, battery chemicals or advanced ceramics, designed for specific applications and used by downstream industries including clean energy, defence, electronics and advanced manufacturing.
About CMPAMIP Phases
The CMPAMIP will run over two phases, with each phase applied for, assessed and awarded separately. Applicants are advised to consider their potential Phase 2 application when applying for the Phase 1 Proof-of-Concept:
Phase 1 – Proof-of-Concept: A short-term (up to 8 months) grant of up to $100,000 to establish technical feasibility and potential viability of the technology for the purposes outlined in the proposal. Given the early-stage nature of these technologies, Phase 1 will support the generation of detailed technical evidence, testing and small-scale validation activities required to assess whether technologies are sufficiently mature to progress to Phase 2.
Phase 2 – Catalyser/Demonstrator: A two-year grant of up to $1 million to further pilot, validate and refine the technologies in relevant and operational environments with end-user partners. Phase 2 will support scaling and commercialising successful technologies over the grant period. Applicants will need to demonstrate how the project will contribute to building NSW’s critical minerals value-adding capabilities and talent pipeline. Phase 2 grant applications will be open only to those that have received a Phase 1 grant and satisfactorily acquitted that grant.
The CMPAMIP is administered by the Office of the Chief Scientist and Engineer (OCSE) in collaboration with NSW Resources in the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). NSW Resources oversees the Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy 2024-2035 and the development of NSW minerals sector while OCSE supports advancing opportunities aligned with the NSW Innovation Blueprint, the NSW 20-Year R&D Roadmap and the NSW Trade and Investment Strategy.
Key Dates - Phase 1 Proof-of-Concept grant program
Milestone
Timeframe
Applications open
Friday 7 August 2026 14:00
Applications close
Friday 18 September 2026 15:00
Contracting, outcomes and payment
December 2026
Grant activity period
December 2026 – August 2027
For more information on Phase 1
