Washington, D.C., October 20, 2025 — The United States and Australia have announced a landmark policy framework to strengthen cooperation in the mining and processing of critical minerals and rare earth elements essential for defense, clean energy, and high-tech industries.
Signed by U.S. President Donald J. Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the framework underscores both nations’ commitment to securing diversified and resilient supply chains amid growing global competition for rare earth resources.
According to the White House, the initiative will mobilize over $2 billion in financing—$1 billion in each country—within the next six months to accelerate mining and processing projects producing materials for commercial and defense sectors. The agreement also calls for streamlining environmental and regulatory permitting to fast-track operations.
The two governments will jointly identify high-priority projects, coordinate investment guarantees and insurance, and convene a Mining, Minerals and Metals Investment Ministerial within 180 days to promote further industry collaboration.
To protect domestic industries from unfair trade practices, the framework introduces new pricing mechanisms and standards-based trading systems. Both sides also pledged to enhance oversight of strategic asset sales on national security grounds and to invest in minerals recycling technologies.
A new U.S.–Australia Critical Minerals Supply Security Response Group—led by the U.S. Secretary of Energy and Australia’s Minister for Resources—will oversee the initiative, identifying vulnerabilities and ensuring a steady supply of processed materials.
The agreement, while not legally binding, reflects a major step in the broader strategy to reduce dependence on non-market suppliers, particularly China, and to secure the resources underpinning future defense and industrial innovation.
