Australia and Japan have built a strong foundation in critical minerals, but turning promising projects into operating assets remains a significant challenge. With only a small proportion of feasibility-stage projects reaching final investment decisions, funding gaps, market uncertainty and differing risk approaches continue to slow progress.
This whitepaper explores the barriers preventing critical mineral projects from advancing and highlights practical opportunities for deeper Australia–Japan collaboration. Drawing on real-world investment examples and industry insights, it examines how strategic partnerships, customer-led investment, government initiatives and shared risk models can help bridge the gap between feasibility and execution. Discover how stronger cross-border collaboration could unlock the next generation of critical mineral supply chains and accelerate the energy transition
