Source: Global Times

According to Bloomberg, Reuters and other media, Australian Prime Minister Albaniis is scheduled to meet with U.S. President Trump at the White House around 11 a.m. on the east of the U.S. on the 20th, while China is tightening export controls on key minerals in the world, while Albani is aiming to gain greater U.S. support for Australian critical minerals.

According to Reuters, Albanese's office said that the Prime Minister will visit Washington with Minister of Resources and North Australian Affairs Madeleine King, but Foreign Minister Huang Yingxian and Defense Minister Mars did not accompany them. The Australian Financial Review mentioned that during his tight two-day itinerary in Washington, Albanese will have the opportunity to promote Australia's ability to supply critical minerals to U.S. high-tech manufacturing. He is expected to announce an agreement with the United States to strengthen Australia's supply of critical minerals to the United States.

Pictures of Albanis meeting with Trump

Albanis will also participate in the 140th anniversary of mining giant BHP Billiton (BHP) held on the 21st local time. According to sources, U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Bogum and National Security Council supply chain official David Copley will both attend the event.

Australian Treasury Secretary Jim Chamers hasly been preparing for his visit to Albania in Washington, D.C. On Thursday, in an interview with U.S. Cable News Network, he said Australia could become a reliable supplier of key minerals in a ¡°strong market.¡± Reuters that Jim Chamers told reporters on Friday after a meeting in Washington with Trump¡¯s economic adviser Kevin Hasett on key minerals that Canberra hopes to maintain stable economic relations with China while developing more cooperation with the United States.

In a speech last week in Washington, he said, ¡°To have resources is one thing, to know how to mining is another, because mining is a high-tech industry, we have the world¡¯s largest and best mining company,¡± he said, adding that the U.S. has a gap in 50 key minerals and rare-earths identified, and that by investing in both sides, Australia ¡°does not pay too much extra effort to meet the needs of 30 to 40 of them, especially in the processing of rare-earths.¡±

Agence France-Presse believes that although Australia is strong in mineral mining, like most mining countries, its local processing capacity is relatively weak. According to reports, more than 90% of Australian lithium ore is shipped to large Chinese refineries for processing every year.

Extended reading

Australian Treasury Secretary: The United States wants to get rid of China's rare earths and is willing to do the same.

On October 16, local time, Australian Treasury Secretary Jim Chalmers met with Kevin Hassett, head of the White House National Economic Committee.

The picture shows the data map of Australia Treasury Secretary Jim Chalmers

Before the meeting, Chalmers told reporters in Washington: "Australia is fully capable of meeting the demand for rare earths. We will work with our partners to ensure that we can become a very reliable supplier to meet the needs of Australia, the United States and other markets around the world. critical mineral needs."

According to Bloomberg, Chamers wanted to emphasize that Australia has the ability to become a key component of the United States' drive to diversify the supply chain of rare earth and get rid of its dependence on China.The report said that rare earth is critical in various areas such as semiconductor and military technology, Australia has the world's fourth largest rare earth reserve and has a long history of mining, which enhances its strength to become a "viable alternative" to China's supply of rare earth.

Previously, Lynas Rare Earth, headquartered in Perth, Australia, had started refining the so-called "heavy rare earths" at its factory in Malaysia, which has become the only heavy rare earth production base outside China.

Data Map: Previously, Australia Treasury Secretary Chalmers met with U.S. Treasury Secretary Besant and White House National Economic Council Director Hassett met with the Australia Broadcasting Corporation

On October 17, local time, the Australia quoted unnamed industry sources as saying that the Trump administration was considering acquiring part of the stake in the Australia rare earth project. Reported that equity investments may come from various U.S. government agencies, including the Pentagon and the U.S. Export-Import Bank.

In recent months, the U.S. government has begun similar equity acquisitions of key players in the industry, including shares of rare-earth producers MP Materials and Lithium Americas.These measures arely part of a broader supply chain development strategy developed by the U.S. to compete with China.

According to people familiar with the matter, last month, more than a dozen Australian mining companies met with officials of several U.S. government agencies in Washington and were told that the U.S. is seeking to invest in related companies through similar equity acquisitions.

The news led to a sharp rise in share prices in key Australian mineral projects, including Nova Minerals and Resolution Minerals, which said they would brief the Australian government before Prime Minister Albany meets US President Trump next week.

Chalmers said that people are still worried that the reliability and robustness of the critical minerals market are still insufficient.

¡°There is no doubt that this will be part of the Albanian prime minister¡¯s meeting with President Trump next week,¡± Chamers said.

In fact, this is not the first time Australia has expressed ¡°loyalty to the United States¡± on rare-earth issues.

According to Nikkei Asia, on August 20 this year, Kevin Rudd, former Australian Prime Minister and current Australian Ambassador to the United States, participated in an event at the U.S. Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), during which he said that advanced military equipment such as submarines and stealth fighters rely heavily on rare earth elements, and declared that Australia and the United States are committed to reducing dependence on key China minerals.

¡°Whether we want it or not, the reality is that our most critical actions in the military sphere depend on the availability of key minerals and rare-earth supplies,¡± he subsequently said, ¡°as the Pentagon is eager to reduce its dependence on rare-earth China, Australia, as an ally of the United States, is ready to help, and we are capable of doing so.¡±

Kevin Rudd also insisted that Australia is well placed to assist the US in diversifying its supply chain. "The geology has benefited many of our countries, be it Australia, the US or Canada. Given that we have advanced mining companies, have deep capital markets, and the governments in Washington and Canberra are determined to turn things around, I think we can achieve a high level of resilience in critical mineral resources."

Just on October 9, China's Ministry of Commerce issued two announcements on strengthening export controls on rare earth-related items. On the same day, China also announced several separate announcements, not only adding several new rare earth elements and dozens of rare earth processing equipment to the export control list, but also involving superhard materials, lithium batteries and artificial graphite anode materials.

On the same day, the U.S. Wall Street Journal that China's latest measures on rare earth are considered to be an almost unprecedented (a unprecedented) export control, while the British Financial Times believes that China's export control has exacerbated concerns about the U.S. and Europe's continued access to these rare earth metals.

¡°The Pentagon is seeking to purchase key minerals worth as much as $1 billion as part of its global reserve operation to counter China¡¯s dominance in the key (rare-earth) metal sectors of defense manufacturers.¡±

The Department of Defense Logistics (DLA) has disclosed in public documents released in recent months the Trump administration¡¯s plan to accelerate the expansion of the national reserves. Previously, China has imposed export restrictions on a variety of rare earth materials, while China dominates the supply chain of critical minerals and permanent magnets needed for a variety of technical equipment from smartphones to fighters.

A former U.S. defense official said: ¡°They (the Pentagon) value reserves very much.They are looking for more, and are expanding in a planned and widespread way, and looking for new sources of different minerals needed for defense products.¡±

On October 15, China's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Lin Swed, presided over a routine press conference, once again responding to the measures to control rare earth.

Lin said that the competent department of China has clarified its position on the policy of export control of rare earth, China implemented export control of related items in accordance with the law, with the aim of better safeguarding world peace and regional stability, fulfilling international obligations such as anti-proliferation, which is also in line with international practice. we are willing to strengthen export control dialogue and exchanges, safeguard the security and stability of the global supply chain.

China's position is consistent and clear, but it is the US side to talk, while threatening to impose high tariffs and introduce new restrictions, this is not the right way to deal with the Chinese side.We urge the US side to correct the wrong practices as soon as possible, on the basis of equality, respect and reciprocity, through dialogue and consultation to solve relevant issues.