The Albanese Government is backing Australian business and science, funding world-leading innovations that can help transform Australian industry. 

More than $55 million in grants for projects working in critical minerals, renewable energy and other industries were announced by Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic in Perth. 

Nearly $3 million was awarded to CPC Engineering for a new technology which could transform Australia’s processing of critical minerals.

Working alongside experts from Edith Cowan University, CPC Engineering has developed a smart new way to separate iron, aluminium and other metals. 

Using membrane technology to separate the minerals has the potential to reduce waste while also significantly cutting costs for mineral processers. 

A $2.4 million grant was awarded WaveX to work on the development of its unique anchors for offshore wind and wave energy. 

Teaming up with global experts in wave energy from the University of Western Australia WaveX hopes to further our ambition to be a leader in the race to harness wave energy. 

Round 16 of the Cooperative Research Centres Projects (CRC-P) is awarding 23 grants to successful companies, others include: 

• NanoCube Health (Vic): $3 million to drive development of technology for early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer.
• Miniprobes (SA): $1.5 million to deliver an AI-enabled optical scanner to rapidly assess beef quality.
• Atomo Diagnostics (NSW): $2.4 million to develop Australia’s first at-home syphilis test which distinguishes active infection from past-treated case.
• Emesent (Qld): $2.4 million to pioneer an innovative autonomous mining platform to collect and merge data from field robots and sensors.

CRC-P grants support partnerships that bring together science, research, and business, to improve the competitiveness, productivity and sustainability of Australian industries.

Since its inception in 1990, the CRC Program has helped to fund the commercialisation of technologies, products and services across a range of sectors and industries, including agriculture, clean technology, infrastructure, mining, manufacturing, and health.

The full list of grantees can be found here: www.business.gov.au/crc-p 

Quotes attributable to the Hon. Ed Husic, Minister for Industry and Science:

“West Australian smarts are showing the rest of the world how to get things smarter, more efficiently, with great potential for exports and local jobs.” 

"We're backing Aussie businesses and that's how you create jobs for Aussie workers."

“More than $55 million for scaling up good ideas is what will help drive business in the longer term.” 

“CPC Engineering’s pioneering work filtering critical minerals has the potential to cut costs for business and also significantly reduce environmental waste.”

“We want Australia to be a renewable superpower that’s why we’ll continue to back companies like WaveX.”