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Critical minerals

April

Amanda Lacaze, Lynas Rare Earths CEO, and federal Resources Minister Madeleine King.

Resources minister hits back at Lynas criticism

Madeleine King has hit back at criticism from Lynas chief executive Amanda Lacaze over plans to create a critical minerals stockpile.

From left: Delta managing director James Croser, chairman Nader El Sayed, and non-executive director Josh Thurlow.

Gina Rinehart-backed Delta Lithium to spin out WA gold mine

The junior explorer will separate its gold assets into Ballard Mining and launch an IPO to take advantage of astronomical demand.

Amanda Lacaze, CEO Lynas Rare Earths.

Lynas blasts Labor over critical minerals stockpile plan

Lynas CEO Amanda Lacaze has warned Labor’s critical minerals stockpile will be counterproductive and may damage Australia’s only rare earths producer.

Trump and zelensky

Trump’s plan to seize Ukraine’s minerals is a strategic debacle

The West just has to wait a little, tighten the screws at the right moment, and Putin will be forced to the table on our terms. Instead, Trump offers him a real estate joint venture.

Deep-sea mining exploration.

New battleground in critical minerals race is on Australia’s doorstep

The US under Donald Trump sees the ocean floor as a new frontier, making the Pacific Ocean’s mineral-rich seabed a new strategic flashpoint.

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Greenpeace activists confront a deep sea mining vessel off the coast of Manzanillo, Mexico.

Trump moves to ramp up deep-sea mining for critical minerals

The US president signed an executive order to speed up permits for ocean mining to boost the supply of critical resources largely controlled by China.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and West Australian Premier Roger Cook at the press conference outlining the planned critical minerals reserve.

Minerals reserve to be used as leverage with Trump, foreign investors

Access to the critical minerals reserve will be used to woo foreign investment and negotiate with the Trump administration on tariffs.

Citi has become the latest bank to cut its lithium forecasts.

Lithium investors fear price plunge from Labor stockpile

A fresh wave of supply would deal another blow to lithium prices, which Citi already expects to fall a further 27 per cent in coming months.

Anthony Albanese campaigning in Western Australia on Wednesday.

Government to stockpile critical minerals to safeguard supply

Labor will establish a critical minerals strategic reserve to safeguard Australia’s supply and that of her allies.

Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, shakes hands with Vietnam's National Assembly Chairman Tran Thanh Man, in Hanoi, Vietnam, Monday April 14, 2025. (Athit Perawongmetha/Pool Photo via AP)

Will China’s bid to win allies in Asia work?

The world’s second-largest economy is settling in for the long game with a strategy that could soon extend to Australia.

President Donald Trump steps out of a red Model S Tesla vehicle on the South Lawn of the White House Tuesday, March 11, 2025, in Washington. (Pool via AP)

Trump’s critical minerals tariff probe boosts Aussie miners

Donald Trump could slap tariffs on Chinese rare earths and critical minerals to break Beijing’s dominance on key material for 21st century technology.

American

How China plans to cripple the US in trade war

China’s decision to restrict exports of a wide range of critical minerals and magnets is a major blow to America’s security, forcing Donald Trump to retaliate.

What will China’s latest move to restrict exports to counter Trump do to a US car manufacturing industry in turmoil

China weaponises rare earths in tariff war

China’s dominance in processing rare earths metals and high-performance magnets means Beijing’s curbs on the crucial exports are a major threat to US manufacturing.

Ken MacKenzie leaves BHP with the miner in very strong shape.

‘We’re going to miss the boat’: departing BHP chair’s warning for Australia

Ken MacKenzie leaves with the miner in a state of relatively rare stability. But he fears Australia is failing to seize its next big opportunity.

March

Nystar runs two smelters in Australia, one in Hobart and another in South Australia.

Trafigura puts Australian metal processing operations under review

In an interview, the trading house’s chief executive, Richard Holtum, said “uncompetitive” assets should be at least part owned by the government.

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Junior miners fearful after Chalmers ends tax break

The Treasurer did not extend tax perks for mineral exploration that have existed for the past seven years.

The Trump administration’s establishment of the National Energy Dominance Council is a central pillar of the US strategic outlook.

Australia should look to uranium as a chance to dodge Trump’s tariffs

Developing processing of the nuclear fuel with American firms would address US national security concerns and also attract significant interest from Japan, Korea and Taiwan.

Tianqi lithium processing plant at Kwinana.

Australia’s lithium dream is fading. Can tax breaks revive it?

The prime minister believes he can revive hopes of turning Australia into a minerals processing powerhouse. Is this anything other than wishful thinking?

Inside Duncan Saville’s billion-dollar Bermuda Triangle

A decade after the ATO hit the reclusive Australian investor with a $189 million tax bill and savaged his character, Canberra is rolling out the red carpet.

Lynas’s Mount Weld rare earth project in Western Australia.

Reality bites critical-minerals hopes

Australia’s ambition of processing critical minerals is still mostly a dream, and one that won’t persuade Donald Trump to withhold tariffs on our exports.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/critical-minerals-1nus