Southland's first cleantech critical minerals production facility receives Government backing

Southland has been chosen as the location to build a next-generation commercial critical minerals production facility.

 

The Government today announced an allocation of $15 million of the Regional Infrastructure Fund (RIF) to cleantech company Aspiring Materials. The RIF allocation will accelerate the New Zealand company’s development of a $31 million commercial critical mineral production facility in Southland.

 

Christchurch based Aspiring Materials has developed world-leading, proprietary, zero emission technology that extracts critical minerals from quarry waste. The development of the commercial facility will contribute markedly to the Southland economy and enable the region to become a leader in next generation critical minerals production.  

 

Following on from their successful pilot plant in Christchurch, this public financing, along with private and venture capital, will fund the build of the major new facility. At full capacity the facility will process 250,000 tonnes of olivine rock and create up to 200 full-time roles in the region. 

 

These will include highly skilled chemical and mechanical engineering roles as well as logistics, trade and services jobs.  Further employment will come from the construction of the plant.

 

Aspiring Materials developed the Aspiring Process, a technology that originated from early research conducted by its founding team at the University of Canterbury. The patented process produces critical minerals using olivine rock waste that is a byproduct of existing quarrying operations.  

 

At full commercial scale, the facility will process 250,000 tonnes of olivine material each year, with 100 per cent of the rock used, no waste and near-zero emissions.

 

From the Aspiring Process magnesium, silica, and nickel hydroxide are extracted, which are materials essential across New Zealand’s primary, construction and energy sectors.  They are also increasingly important for emerging sectors such as aerospace and advanced materials.

 

Significantly, green hydrogen is also created through the process and will contribute to New Zealand’s transition to lower-emission fuels.

 

Aspiring Materials’ Chief Executive Mark Chadderton says the Regional Infrastructure Fund allocation marks a major milestone for the company and is a real investment in both clean technology and in powering up the Southland region, and the country. 

 

“Southland had long been identified as the ideal location for our first commercial plant for its proximity to existing quarry operations and key industrial customers.

 

“It’s also home to some of New Zealand’s largest industrial sites and has strong existing domestic transport links and port facilities.

 

This is essential as we’re already seeing strong demand for our materials both locally, throughout the country, and from overseas,” Chadderton says.

"The plant's products will strengthen domestic supply, boost New Zealand's competitiveness in the critical mineral sector, and support a new generation of advanced manufacturing, particularly through clean technology.”

 

Aspiring Materials’ Chief Operating Officer, Kathy Izumi, is clear about this potential impact, especially given the country’s current reliance on imported materials. 

 

“By producing these minerals locally, we’re not just improving resilience for existing industry and specific companies. We’re enabling entirely new ones,” Izumi says.

 

“Reliable access to critical minerals is a foundation for innovation, allowing New Zealand businesses to develop high-value, low-carbon products made for local conditions, without needing to source materials from volatile global supply chains,”

 

Aspiring Materials expects to confirm the Southland site location in the coming months and for operations to commence late in 2028.