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Critical minerals

Yesterday

The Ukrainian president said he wants to hear directly from Trump whether the US plans to halt military aid.

Zelensky to meet Trump on ‘very big’ minerals deal

Ukraine’s president said he needed to speak with Donald Trump about the details, while Donald Trump said the US would not give Ukraine guarantees “beyond very much”.

This Month

Lynas Rare Earths’ processing plant in Kalgoorlie. The miner is the biggest producer of rare earths outside China.

Lynas profit collapses as China keeps lid on rare earths prices

The development comes despite efforts by Western governments to broaden the global supply of critical minerals.

Scott Bessent and Volodymyr Zelensky during talks in Kyiv earlier this month.

US says revenue from minerals deal will fuel Ukraine’s postwar growth

Scott Bessent says the country’s revenue from “natural resources, infrastructure and other assets” would be “allocated to a fund focused on the long-term reconstruction”.

Andrew Forrest is not the only Australian billionaire taking a strategic position in rare earths.

Andrew Forrest takes control of rare earths mine, magnet maker

While his flagship company Fortescue retreats from hydrogen, Andrew Forrest’s private company has taken control of some rare earths mining and processing assets.

 Iluka Resources has $1.65 billion worth of government loans to build a rare earths refinery using its stockpile from its minerals sands operations

Australia still betting on rare earths

The Albanese government hoped for a new resources boom in new critical minerals projects and processing. There’s been a hard reckoning since, but the dream still lives for Iluka Resources and others.

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Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky during a meeting with US Treasury Secretary (unseen) in Kyiv to discuss a rare-minerals-for-security deal.

Ukraine rejects audacious Trump demand for half its mineral wealth

The Ukrainian president has rejected the US bid and is trying to negotiate a better deal that includes security guarantees against Russia.

Global Lithium Resources has two WA operations, including its Manna project near Kalgoorlie.

Board drama as Global Lithium succumbs to ‘Chinese’ takeover

New leadership denies claims of covert foreign influence over the WA-based critical minerals group.

BP’s decision to hit pause on turning Kwinana into a clean energy hub is a wake-up call for Western Australia.

BP’s Kwinana pause shows WA risks being left behind in renewables race

We should be leading the energy transition, but instead we’re stalled by slow approvals, political gridlock and a lack of urgency.

Taxpayer cash revives $105m lithium refinery project

The Albanese government’s floundering plan to grow a domestic mineral processing industry has been boosted by the revival of a stalled lithium phosphate project

January

Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek is putting “nature positive” reforms back on the legislative agenda, despite objections from the WA premier and mining sector.

‘Nature positive’ is high risk for Labor in the west

The short-term politics are a sideshow to the bigger danger of further slowing down Australia’s already sluggish economy.

Ioneer’s Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project.

Ioneer gets $1.6b loan to build Nevada lithium mine

The Australian miner received the loan from the Biden administration to create the first new lithium mine in the US in almost 60 years.

Arafura Rare Earths boss Darryl Cuzzubbo.

Taxpayer bet on rare earths plant depends on ‘non-China premium’

Foreign customers are expected to pay more for critical minerals from Arafura Rare Earths – a gamble that has placed almost $1 billion of government funds on the line.

Drilling for ‘natural hydrogen’ an enormous opportunity: Labor

Naturally occurring hydrogen has been detected in Tumut and parts of western NSW, raising government hopes it can be extracted from the ground like natural gas.

Julie Bishop in 2019.

Julie Bishop hired to advise ASX-listed Greenland explorer

Energy Transition Minerals has become the latest mining client to join the former foreign minister’s consulting stable, which includes Mineral Resources.

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FIFO mining camp operator bleeds cash as losses mount

French company Sodexo’s expansion into Australian FIFO camps has racked up nearly $177 million in cumulative losses over the past nine years.

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Donald Trump jr (centre) arrived in Greenland to discuss the US purchasing the resource-rich island

Trump’s Greenland takeover talks sends ASX-listed explorer soaring

Among the unintended consequences of the President-elect’s desire for the Danish territory has been renewed investor interest in rare earths hopeful Energy Transition Minerals.

Greg Barnes: “The first time Trump was prepared to look like an idiot, but what was really going on was something totally different, and it’s the same with this move at the moment.”

Meet the Aussie who helped give Trump ideas about Greenland

Perth-based Greg Barnes briefed the White House on his own mineral holding in the Danish territory during the president-elect’s first mandate.

Donald Trump’s personal jet, carrying his son, arrives in the Greenland capital Nuuk on Monday.

Donald Trump jnr goes window-shopping for his dad in Greenland

The gambit comes at a tricky time for Copenhagen, as leaders on the mineral-rich island push harder for full independence from Denmark.

Andrew Liveris reckons salt will enjoy growing demand.

Rich and powerful join Andrew Liveris’ salt mining venture

Some of Australia’s richest families have signed up for shares in the new business as the humble mineral catches the eye of battery makers.

One of Jervois’ cobalt projects under construction in Idaho.

AustralianSuper takes $100m hit from collapse of cobalt miner Jervois

The battery minerals play, which was once valued at more than $1 billion, will delist from the ASX and be taken private, rendering its equity worthless.

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