News and Updates
2025 Fin-Erth Women in Climate & Sustainability Awards
Link to pdf
Banksia’s MD, Leigh Staines is the only Australian nominated in the 2025 List of 101 leading women from around the world who are unlocking climate and sustainability solutions.
Now in its second year, the Awards have expanded significantly, with nominations spanning 65 countries. This initiative spotlights what is referred to as the “missing middle” of climate action: the scientists, investors and innovators whose daily efforts underpin progress but seldom receive attention.
“Leigh Staines is driving change at Banksia Minerals Processing, an Australian innovator tackling one of the most overlooked challenges in the energy transition: the emissions intensity of mineral processing. Banksia is reimagining refining and processing to be cleaner, more energy-efficient and circular, reducing waste while supplying the critical minerals needed for renewable energy and green manufacturing. Leigh brings decades of global experience to the role, having held senior positions at Rio Tinto, ExxonMobil and Santos. At Rio Tinto, she led 1,200 employees at the Boyne Aluminium Smelters, working closely with government to design a sustainability transition plan that balanced workforce, corporate and public priorities; a rare example of operational leadership with system-level impact. Peers call Leigh a “determined” and “quietly powerful driver of change.” She combines technical expertise, commercial savvy and a collaborative approach, making her a role model for women in mining, energy and engineering. At Banksia, she ensures sustainability isn’t an add-on, but at the heart of industrial transformation. Our verdict? Leigh Staines is proof that heavy industry can lead the clean-energy revolution — and do it well.”
Times Higher Education
UQ’s James Vaughan talks about how“…the research being carried out at UQ and the commercial output of Banksia Minerals Processing is bringing the world closer to meeting both its environmental and economic goals.”
Winner Announced - Banksia Minerals Processing: Innovation Hour at Copper to the World 2025 (Smarter Copper Processing Solution challenge)
Banksia’s chloride leaching solution stood out for its smart, modular design and capital expenditure efficiency.
Mining-Techology.com
A holy grail for copper?
One project, a collaboration between UQ and start-up Banksia Minerals Processing (BMP), is developing a more environmentally friendly means of extracting copper from low-grade resources
Cicada x Tech23
Leigh will be championing Banksia, for Cicada x Tech23, Australia’s largest deep tech festival, on the 10th of September 2025
RTCM Trailblazer
UQ copper processing start-up to help unlock global resources
IP Group & RTCM Trailblazer funding
Banksia Minerals Processing secures $A1.05 million in seed funding for breakthrough copper technology – IP Group Australia