worth a read, outlines some of US options re critical minerals....

worth a read, outlines some of US options re critical minerals. This option relates to Aust:

Finally, once these four steps are in place, the United States should strengthen allied supply chains by requiring all federally funded defense, infrastructure, and energy products to use 100 percent U.S.-processed critical minerals. Furthermore, the United States should also deepen trade partnerships with Canada, Australia, Japan, and South Korea to jointly invest in refining and diversifying raw materials, and to secure long-term off-take contracts with private and government partners. Existing frameworks, such as the State Department’s Minerals Security Partnership — a multilateral initiative with 14 countries aimed at strengthening critical mineral supply chains — and AUKUS, the trilateral security partnership focused on advanced technologies and critical materials, provide a foundation for advancing this strategy.


https://warontherocks.com/2025/04/a-federal-critical-mineral-processing-initiative-securing-u-s-mineral-independence-from-china/