Prof. Daniel Franks

Director – Global Centre for Mineral Security Sustainable Minerals Institute, The University of Queensland

Daniel Franks is Professor and Director of the Global Centre for Mineral Security at The University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute. He is known internationally for his work on the interconnections between minerals, materials and sustainable development, with a particular focus on the role of minerals in poverty reduction.  He has introduced a number of key concepts including ‘mineral poverty’, ‘mineral security,’ and ‘development minerals,’ and has worked with a wide range of partners to introduce sustainability innovations in the private and public sectors, including breakthrough solutions to drastically reduce mine waste, and ‘social impact management plans,’ a regulatory tool for the governance of private sector development. 

Professor Franks is a former United Nations official and advisor to the UN Secretary General’s Panel on Critical Energy Transition Minerals; he is a member of the scientific board of UNESCO’s International Geosciences Programme; and was a working group member of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network that advised on the formulation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. He spearheaded the ‘Mosi-oa-Tunya Declaration on Artisanal and Small-scale Mining, Quarrying and Development,’ ensuring it reflected the voices of informal miners; co-founded the Delve Exchange knowledge network of artisanal and small-scale miners with the World Bank, which was awarded a Global Good Award for Educational Excellence in 2023; and co-founded the International Council on Artisanal and Small-scale Mining. He is the author of more than 160 publications, including 37 publications for the United Nations.