ProtonPunk
Well-known member
US and Australia Unveil Rare Earths Deal to Counter China's Dominance
The US and Australian governments have announced a landmark deal aimed at boosting supplies of rare earths, critical minerals crucial for the production of defense equipment, computer chips, and cars. The move comes as Washington seeks to counter China's dominance in the market, with Beijing currently controlling about 70% of global rare earths mining and 90% of processing.
The agreement includes $1 billion in joint investment by the US and Australia over the next six months, supporting a pipeline of "ready-to-go" projects worth around $8.5 billion. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the deal as taking their partnership to the "next level", while highlighting its potential to expand his country's mining and processing capabilities.
The partnership is seen as a response to China's efforts to restrict access to supplies in response to US tariffs and tensions between the two nations. US companies heavily rely on rare earths, making them vulnerable to disruptions in supply chains. The White House has announced plans to invest $2.2 billion in financing for critical minerals projects through its Export-Import Bank.
Critically, the agreement includes cooperation on issues such as pricing, permitting, and rules governing government reviews of company sales and projects in the sector. As part of this deal, the US will construct a 100-tonnes-per-year advanced gallium refinery in Western Australia and prepare to offer financing for critical minerals projects via its Export-Import Bank.
This move is part of the Trump administration's broader strategy to reduce reliance on China for rare earths and other critical minerals. In recent months, Washington has announced investments in US-based companies such as MP Materials, Trilogy Metals, and Lithium Americas, receiving ownership stakes in exchange.
The US and Australian governments have announced a landmark deal aimed at boosting supplies of rare earths, critical minerals crucial for the production of defense equipment, computer chips, and cars. The move comes as Washington seeks to counter China's dominance in the market, with Beijing currently controlling about 70% of global rare earths mining and 90% of processing.
The agreement includes $1 billion in joint investment by the US and Australia over the next six months, supporting a pipeline of "ready-to-go" projects worth around $8.5 billion. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described the deal as taking their partnership to the "next level", while highlighting its potential to expand his country's mining and processing capabilities.
The partnership is seen as a response to China's efforts to restrict access to supplies in response to US tariffs and tensions between the two nations. US companies heavily rely on rare earths, making them vulnerable to disruptions in supply chains. The White House has announced plans to invest $2.2 billion in financing for critical minerals projects through its Export-Import Bank.
Critically, the agreement includes cooperation on issues such as pricing, permitting, and rules governing government reviews of company sales and projects in the sector. As part of this deal, the US will construct a 100-tonnes-per-year advanced gallium refinery in Western Australia and prepare to offer financing for critical minerals projects via its Export-Import Bank.
This move is part of the Trump administration's broader strategy to reduce reliance on China for rare earths and other critical minerals. In recent months, Washington has announced investments in US-based companies such as MP Materials, Trilogy Metals, and Lithium Americas, receiving ownership stakes in exchange.
i cant even believe this deal is happening!! it's like the US and Australia are finally catching up to china's rare earths dominance 
a 1 billion investment over 6 months is insane 
plus they're building an advanced gallium refinery in western australia that'll produce 100 tonnes per year 
i'm literally hyped out for all the tech companies out there that rely on rare earths this could be a GAME CHANGER 
I'm low-key freaking out cuz this means China's stranglehold on the market is about to get a serious shake-up 
We all know how important rare earths are for tech and defense, so it's huge that the US is taking steps to diversify its supply chain 
and the fact that they're supporting 8.5 billion worth of projects over the next six months? 
The future of tech is looking bright! 
china's got us beat big time. but i guess the us and australia are trying to even the score with this $1 billion deal 
. still, gotta wonder how this whole thing plays out in the long run 
. will australia be able to deliver on those $8.5 billion projects? only time will tell 
. And now, the US has announced a major investment deal with Australia to boost supplies and challenge Beijing's dominance 
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. Plus, the US is building its own advanced gallium refinery in Western Australia 
, so I'm stoked to see some real action being taken 
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. With the Trump administration's strategy behind it, I think we're gonna see a whole lot of growth in the US rare earths sector 
. We need to think about the long-term impact and how we can ensure that our reliance on these rare earths isn't going to come back to haunt us in 5-10 years when new technologies emerge 
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Honestly, I'm not sure what's more cringeworthy - the fact that we're having to have a discussion about whether or not China is controlling 70% of global rare earths mining... like, come on, who didn't know that already? 
. australia's got some great mining spots, so this partnership could be a game changer for them, and the us will get access to some top-notch facilities too. it's all about securing supplies and not relying on china, which is kinda crazy given what's been going down between the two nations 
.