❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding a government employee's trip to Brazil to attend workshops on REE Ionic Clay Deposits, focusing on funding, purpose, and relevance to Western Australia's mining sector. The Minister's response provides details on the trip's funding, purpose, workshop locations, and the relevance of REE deposits to WA's geology and mining industry.

I refer to the Report on Overseas Air Travel for the 3 months to 31 December 2024 and a visit by N De Souza Kovacs to Brazil from 12 September to 12 October 2024 to attend bidirectional workshops on REE Ionic Clay Deposits. The cost to the Government for this trip was $0 as it was funded externally. Can the Minister advise:(a) Which entity funded this trip and for what purpose;(b) What was the total cost;(c) At what locations and on what dates did these workshops occur during this one-month trip;(d) Did N De Souza Kovacs visit other places in Brazil during the time of these workshops;(e) If so which places, when and for what purpose;(f) What is the relevance of workshops on REE Ionic clay deposits for Western Australia;(g) Was a report prepared for the department on the outcome of these workshops:(i) If so, can it be tabled; and(ii) If not, why not;(h) What position in the department does N De Souza Kovacs occupy;(i) How were the duties of this position fulfilled while N De Souza Kovacs was on this trip; and(j) Did the performance of duties for the position occupied by N De Souza Kovacs incur additional costs for the department?

(a)   The Agency for the Development and Innovation of the Brazilian Mineral Sector funded the travel. N de Souza Kovacs is an internationally-recognised expert in regolith science. They were invited by the Geological Survey of Brazil (GSB) to conduct regolith mapping and mineral exploration workshops alongside other Australian researchers. The purpose of the visit was to exchange knowledge on rare earth element (REE) deposits, regolith mapping methodologies and lateritic mineral systems. (b) The Agency for the Development and Innovation of the Brazilian Mineral Sector funded the travel. (c)   The workshops took place in the cities of Brasília, Minaçu, Barro Alto and Niquelândia. The workshops were held between 20 September and 1 October, with the start date having been delayed. N de Souza Kovaks took planned leave from 2 October 2024 and paid for these expenses personally. I have requested the tabled travel report be corrected. (d) No. (e)   Not applicable. (f)   Ionic clay deposits, along with a range of other mineral systems developed within the regolith, are increasingly recognised as important research frontiers for securing future supplies of critical and strategic minerals. The regolith is a particularly important component of Western Australia’s (WA) geology as it hosts mineralisation, not only ionic-clay rare earth element (REE) deposits, but economically significant gold, nickel, and bauxite. Geological Survey of WA (GSWA) mapping indicates that regolith covers approximately 79 per cent of WA’s total land area (2,529,880 square kilometres), with the remainder comprising exposed bedrock. The economic importance of regolith-hosted resources is considerable: in 2024-25, minerals that can be hosted in regolith, including iron ore, alumina, gold, and mineral sands, accounted for 94 per cent of the State’s total mineral production by value of $171 billion. The importance of this type of regolith-hosted ionic-clay REE deposits is highlighted by Critica’s Jupiter REE deposit which represents Australia’s largest and highest-grade clay-hosted REE resource. Its near-surface, laterally consistent mineralisation and favourable metallurgical characteristics indicate strong potential for lower-cost, lower-impact extraction compared with traditional hard-rock REE operations. Like WA, Brazil is actively exploring for critical minerals, many of which are also hosted within regolith profiles. Brazil’s understanding of their regolith-hosted mineral systems presents a valuable opportunity for collaboration. By engaging with Brazilian researchers and leveraging their knowledge, the GSWA can strengthen its understanding of ionic-clay and other regolith-hosted critical mineral deposits, as well as the distal regolith geochemical footprints associated with bedrock-hosted systems. These insights directly support GSWA’s ongoing efforts to assess, characterise, and map WA’s critical mineral prospectivity. (g) Yes. (h) Senior Geologist Specified Calling Level 2. (i)   N de Souza Kovacs’ role did not require backfill while they were in Brazil. (j)   No.