News Brief: US-Australia Critical Minerals Deal
Summary
The United States and Australia have signed a critical minerals framework agreement aimed at breaking China’s dominance in the sector. The deal involves billions in financing for projects across Australia and the US, focusing on minerals essential for weapons, electronics, and renewable energy technologies.
Key Points
- A new US-AU Critical Minerals Framework has been established to achieve “critical mineral and energy dominance.”
- An initial $US3 billion ($4.6 billion) will be invested over the next six months in projects across nearly every Australian state and territory.
- The first approved project is a gallium refinery in Western Australia, expected to produce 100 tonnes annually, reducing reliance on China, which currently supplies most of the world’s ~700-750 tonne demand.
- Governments will receive an ownership stake and “right of offtake” in financed projects, guaranteeing supply.
- The move is a direct response to China’s control of up to 90% of the refining market and its recent tightening of export controls on critical mineral technologies.
- Potential projects include a neodymium project in the NT (for night vision, missiles), and titanium, zircon, and graphite projects in Victoria, Queensland, and NSW.
- Iluka’s Eneabba refinery in WA could eventually produce a quarter of the world’s heavy rare earths supply.
- Opposition voices warn that Australia’s investment pipeline is “drying up” due to slow approval processes.
新闻简报：美澳关键矿产协议
总结
美国和澳大利亚签署了一项关键矿产框架协议，旨在打破中国在该领域的主导地位。该协议涉及为澳大利亚和美国各地的项目提供数十亿美元融资，重点关注武器、电子产品和可再生能源技术所必需的矿物。
关键点
- 建立了新的美澳关键矿产框架，旨在实现”关键矿产和能源主导地位”。
- 未来六个月内将初步投资30亿美元（46亿澳元），用于澳大利亚几乎各州和领地的项目。
- 首个获批项目是西澳大利亚的一家镓精炼厂，预计年产量100吨，将减少对中国的依赖；中国目前供应全球约700-750吨需求的大部分。
- 政府将在获得融资的项目中获得所有权份额和”承购权”，以保证供应。
- 此举是对中国控制高达90%精炼市场以及最近收紧关键矿产技术出口管制的直接回应。
- 潜在项目包括北领地的钕项目（用于夜视仪、导弹），以及维多利亚州、昆士兰州和新南威尔士州的钛、锆石和石墨项目。
- 西澳大利亚伊卢卡的Eneabba精炼厂可能最终供应全球四分之一的重稀土。
- 反对派声音警告称，由于审批过程缓慢，澳大利亚的投资渠道正在”枯竭”。
Original Article Link: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-21/australia-us-critical-minerals-framework-trump-china/105914736