MiNext consultation begins with Geological Survey Forum

MinEx CRC has taken the first step in shaping what comes next for Australia’s minerals exploration sector, hosting the ‘MiNext’ Geological Survey Forum at Geoscience Australia. Held on 23 March, the forum brought together representatives from Geological Surveys across Australia, alongside Minerals Research Institute of WA (MRIWA), marking the first formal consultation under the MiNext initiative.

MiNext is focused on planning for future collaborative, industry-led research beyond the completion of MinEx CRC in 2027. Importantly, this work is being progressed in parallel with the current MinEx program, strengthening engagement and helping to build a lasting legacy.

The forum explored shared priorities, potential research themes, and opportunities for future collaboration. While discussions are ongoing, several key themes have already emerged:

• The need for sustained national geoscience infrastructure
• The growing opportunity for artificial intelligence in geoscience
• The importance of collaboration at a national scale
• Challenges associated with the time between discovery and mining

These early insights provide a strong foundation for the next stages of consultation, with further engagement planned across industry and the research community throughout 2026.

Next steps

Consultation will continue with a series of upcoming MiNext workshops in Perth:

4 May – MiNext Industry Workshop:

Register your interest here

10 June – MiNext Researchers Workshop:

Register your interest here

These sessions will build on the themes identified to date and help refine priorities for the next phase of collaborative minerals research in Australia.

MinEx CRC looks forward to continuing this important conversation as momentum builds towards defining future national-scale research initiatives.