Critical Minerals Processing and Advanced Materials Innovation Program

The Critical Minerals Processing and Advanced Materials Innovation Program (CMPAMIP or Program) 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.

Guidelines

CMPAMIP Guidelines

Application Form

CMPAMIP Online Application Form

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 & 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

Key Resources

To support applicants, OCSE will:

1. host a public webinar briefing on Thursday 13 August 2026 from 11:00am-12:00pm, which will be recorded and posted on this webpage.
   
   Webinar URL: https://events.humanitix.com/nsw-grant-webinar-critical-minerals-processing-and-advanced-materials-innovation-program-phase-1
2. respond to Program enquiries posting responses to the CMPAMIP Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page.

FAQ

CMPAMIP Frequently Asked Questions

Contact

If you have any questions, please contact OCSE at grants@chiefscientist.nsw.gov.au. This mailbox is monitored during business hours. OCSE will aim to respond to enquiries within 3 business days. OCSE will answer questions as appropriate.

To ensure equal access to information, OCSE may publish questions and their answers on the CMPAMIP FAQ page, see link above. OCSE will not identify the organisation that has asked the question. If your question includes confidential information, you must expressly indicate this when you contact OCSE. OCSE accepts no responsibility for the disclosure of information, except where the party has expressly indicated that it should be treated as confidential.

Other resources of importance include NSW Government strategies and plans such as the Critical Minerals & High-Tech Metals Strategy 2024-35 and the NSW Innovation Blueprint can be accessed via these links: Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy 2024-35 | NSW Government and NSW Innovation Blueprint | NSW Government