The Western Australian Government and the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM) will join forces to research and develop the critical minerals value chain.
KIGAM is a Government-funded geoscience research organisation that has been driving solutions to global issues such as climate change since 1918.
The two parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier this week, supporting cooperation and providing a framework for the exchange of scientific and technical knowledge across the mining value chain.
The MoU was signed by Mines and Petroleum Minister Bill Johnston in the Republic of Korea as part of the State Government’s mission to promote the resource capabilities of WA.
In a statement announcing the partnership, the State Government said the MoU will further strength the relationship between WA and the Republic of Korea following the signing of a historic letter of intent by Premier Mark McGowan on February 1.
“The letter of intent signed with MOTIE (Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy) recognises our strong strategic partnership with South Korea and charts a course for new opportunities into the future,” McGowan said.
“By signing an agreement with MOTIE, we are establishing a formal relationship to promote economic collaboration in the new energy and downstream processing sectors between Western Australia and South Korea.
“I look forward to Western Australia and South Korea continuing to deepen our strategic partnership into the future.”
Johnston said he was enthusiastic about the future of the relationship between the two countries.
“This MoU will enable cooperation on research and exchange of information with our Korean trading partners to build capability and reaffirm the importance of Western Australia in the global supply of critical minerals,” Johnston said.
“Transformational change is needed in how we find commodities, extract and process them, and convert them for use in manufacturing processes to support the global efforts in decarbonisation.
“This cooperation is an important step in developing a strong battery chemical industry in Western Australia, in partnership with the Korean industry.”