Ministers for the Department of Industry, Science and Resources
Australia and the United States are stepping up efforts to unlock new investment in Australian critical minerals projects and build more secure and diverse critical minerals supply chains between the two countries.
Minister for Resources Madeleine King today met with the President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM), John Jovanovic, alongside senior EXIM officials, to discuss opportunities to drive more US investment into Australian critical minerals projects and get more Australian minerals into vital US manufacturing supply chains.
“We have the critical minerals the United States and the world need, and we want to see more investment flowing into the Australian projects that can supply them,” Minister King said.
The talks build on the strong progress made since the signing of the Australia–United States Critical Minerals Framework, with more than A$6 billion in support for critical minerals projects announced by Australia and the United States in its first year.
The partnership is helping both countries secure access to the critical minerals needed for defence, advanced technologies and modern manufacturing, while reducing reliance on concentrated global supply chains.
Minister King said ongoing discussions will focus on how US EXIM, Export Finance Australia and other Australian Government financing agencies can work together to help promising Australian critical minerals projects secure the investment they need to get off the ground.
“Working with US EXIM and our own financing agencies can help bring together the investment needed to turn promising projects into producing mines and processing facilities," Minister King said.
“This is about backing strategically important projects that strengthen our economic security and build more resilient critical minerals supply chains.
“More investment means more Australian critical minerals being mined and processed, more opportunities for Australian businesses and workers, and more of the critical minerals our partners need coming from a country they know and trust.”