Australia and the United States are intensifying efforts to attract new capital into local critical minerals ventures, aiming to strengthen and diversify supply chains for defence, advanced technologies, and modern manufacturing.
Minister for Resources Madeleine King met with John Jovanovic, President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (US EXIM), alongside senior bank officials, to explore ways to accelerate American financing into Australian mining and processing projects.
“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,” King said.
The discussions build on momentum generated under the Australia–United States Critical Minerals Framework. In its first year alone, the bilateral pact has underpinned more than AU$6 billion in announced government support for critical minerals initiatives across both nations.
By aligning capital, both countries are seeking to secure reliable access to vital resources while reducing dependence on heavily concentrated global supply chains.
According to King, ongoing talks will focus on closer coordination between US EXIM, Export Finance Australia, and other federal financing bodies to help emerging domestic projects clear financial hurdles and reach commercial production.
“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,” she 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.”
