Australia wins US support for critical minerals industry
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Australian PM Anthony Albanese (left) and US President Joe Biden sign a statement of intent on climate, critical minerals and clean energy during the G7 summit on May 20. 2023.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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MELBOURNE - Australia has won the backing of the United States for development of its critical minerals industry after the two countries reached an agreement to coordinate policies and investment to support the sector’s growth.
Australia supplies around half of the world’s lithium as well as other minerals like rare earths used in batteries for electric cars and defence amid a global push to diversify supply chains away from dominant producer China.
The agreement will also cover clean energy as the country sets itself up to become a major producer of hydrogen and ammonia.
“The climate, critical minerals and clean energy compact is an ambitious agreement,” Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told Parliament on Monday.
“It will expand and diversify our clean energy supply. It’ll promote the sustainable supply and processing of critical minerals and support the development of clean hydrogen, battery technologies and other clean energy products.”
The deal also paves the way for Australian suppliers of these minerals and renewable energy to be treated as domestic suppliers under the US Defence Production Act.
That is set to boost investment back towards Australian companies, supported by regulation like the landmark US Inflation Reduction Act
“This is about creating an enormous opportunity for Australia and I can’t underline how significant this is,” Mr Albanese told the press after a Quad leaders’ summit in Hiroshima on Sunday.
Ministers from the US National Security Council and Australia’s Department of Industry will take part in a task force that will develop a plan by year-end to encourage stronger industrial collaboration and speed up development, the two leaders said in statements announcing the deal on Saturday.
The compact will establish climate, clean energy and a shared energy industrial base as a central pillar of the Australia-United States Alliance, they said.
The deal will be “very, very positive,” for Australia which is seeking investment from allies to grow its critical mineral processing industry, as it also builds up green hydrogen for export, mining billionaire Andrew Forrest said.
“This should push Australia over the line,” Dr Forrest told Sydney radio station 2GB. He has stakes in critical minerals processing, solar and wind, and is becoming a major hydrogen producer through Fortescue Future Industries.
Australia is set to announce a national strategy for critical minerals processing shortly, the Australian government said last week. REUTERS
