QEM Limited announced the commencement of the first work order to be rendered by the company's new global industry, research and education partner, The University of Queensland's Sustainable Minerals Institute (UQ SMI), under the Umbrella Agreement signed between the parties on 29 September 2022. UQ SMI will commence by characterising the mineralogy of QEM's Julia Creek shale post-oil extraction to assist in optimising vanadium beneficiation to further improve vanadium pentoxide yields. UQ SMI will utilise material produced from the successful testing at QEM's bench- scale pilot plant at the Melbourne headquarters of HRL Technology Group Pty Ltd. commissioned in May.

UQ SMI integrates expertise across the mine life cycle. For this project they have brought together experts in mineral surface chemistry, process mineralogy, ore and tailings, and mining and geotechnical engineering. The team will analyse if Rare Earth Elements are hosted in the sample and the potential to explore them.