Talk of a possible mineral deal between the U.S. and Australia, the biggest lithium producer in the world, is percolating ahead of President Donald Trump’s meeting next week with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
It’s another sign of the growing focus on minerals, as well as anxiety around China’s vise grip on the flow of those materials and global supply chains.
The buzz is ramping up ahead of Trump’s planned Oct. 20 meeting with Albanese in Washington, the first face-to-face meeting between the two world leaders. While talk is slated to focus on defense and AUKUS — a trilateral security partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S. — discussions is also expected to turn to Australia’s massive critical minerals wealth, China’s recent restrictions and Trump’s tariffs.
“Figuring out how to break Beijing’s near chokehold on critical minerals and rare earth materials, both of which are vital for defense and clean energy technologies, is a top priority for both Washington and Canberra,” Charles Edel, the Australia chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies think tank, wrote in a blog on Wednesday about the upcoming meeting.
