Business
27 October, 2025
Silica mine backed by $30m stake
A $100 million-a-year mine near Innisfail has been backed by a state government body to the tune of $30m.
Once Mourilyan Silica Sands project ramps up production, it will employ 180 new people.
The Queensland Investment Corporation is investing in Silica Resources Australia (SRA), which will increase annual production to more than 360,000 tonnes a year in the next 12 months and more than 750,000 tonnes within the next five years.
Once the silica flour has been extracted, it will be trucked 27km to the Port of Mourilyan, and shipped to key trading partners and markets across Asia.
Finance, Trade, Employment and Training Minister Ros Bates said the investment allowed the Cassowary Coast to leverage its proximity to key export markets and cement its position as a major player in global critical mineral supply chains.
“Silica flour is an essential precursor for silicon, a key component in advanced technologies like semiconductors and solar panels," she said.
“Demand in countries like Japan, Korea and Taiwan is growing rapidly and we are taking strong action to make sure Queensland is essential in the global supply chain.
“Our investment through QIC has delivered the plant, equipment and land acquisitions for SRA to get on with creating jobs and mining the more than 50 million tonnes of silica sand on the project site."
Silica Resources Australia managing director Rob Tindall said the project would look to develop its own common user infrastructure at the port as expansion works commence.
“This investment and our existing mining lease has allowed us to start extracting from a silica deposit requiring only shallow, low-cost extraction methods,” he said.
“Silica flour is required to make the silicon used in solar panels and electronics, with other uses in construction sand, 3D printing and fibreglass.”
