Aspiring Materials
Production of locally supplied clean critical minerals
About
Aspiring Materials is a New Zealand cleantech company who has developed world first technology to produce a local supply of clean critical minerals. Industrial, construction and power generation sectors contribute nearly 17% of New Zealand’s total emissions, mirroring global trends where industrial processes release billions of tonnes of CO2 annually. Aspiring Materials addresses this challenge by providing low-carbon mineral inputs for industries that span agriculture, water, construction and energy, while supporting a circular, waste-free economy.
The company’s patented Aspiring Process transforms olivine-rich rock - a low-value, abundant resource – into a range of low carbon critical minerals and industrial materials including magnesium hydroxide, nickel, reactive silica and iron.
Impact unlocked
In 2025, Aspiring Materials opened Stage One of their purpose-built pilot plant in Christchurch, demonstrating domestic capability to produce critical minerals and decarbonise hard-to-abate industry. The pilot plant can process 250 kg of olivine daily, and Stage Two now underway will upgrade the plant to continuous production of 1 tonne per day. This facility allows the team to optimise operations ahead of a planned commercial-scale plant.
The Aspiring Materials pilot plant positions New Zealand as a domestic hub for critical minerals and sustainable industrial materials. At full commercial scale to meet local mineral demand, an Aspiring Materials plant would process 250,000 tonnes of olivine per year. This volume has the potential to remove up to 400,000 tonnes of CO2 each year, while also providing a local supply of low-carbon materials that reduce reliance on high-carbon imports. The initiative is the birth of new industry for New Zealand, supporting local employment, industry partnerships, and real-world learning opportunities for students, embedding environmental, economic, and social benefits within the community.
Ara Ake contribution
Ara Ake has supported Aspiring Materials’ commercialisation journey, helping to accelerate the development of this near zero-emission, waste-free process. By backing the pilot plant, Ara Ake is enabling domestic innovation in critical minerals production and advancing scalable solutions for permanent carbon removal in New Zealand and beyond.