Could Australia Reshape the Critical Mineral Supply Chain?

Critical Minerals Market Dynamics - Surging demand for critical minerals is reshaping global dynamics, with China's dominance posing a challenge for Western nations [1] - The US and EU are trying to catch up and reduce their reliance on Beijing and Australia [1] - Australia holds some of the world's richest reserves of critical minerals, including nickel, lithium, and rare earths [3] - China is the dominant force in the processing and refining of critical minerals, representing a choke point in the supply chain [6] Australia's Strategic Opportunities and Challenges - Australia faces a defining choice: remain a raw material exporter or strategically invest in downstream processing and advanced manufacturing [4] - Strategic investment in processing, refining, and advanced manufacturing is required to achieve supply chain security and diversification away from China [7] - Nickel mines in Australia have gone into care and maintenance due to China's dominance pushing down prices [10] - Creating a national critical mineral stockpile is essential for the strategic protection of mining, processing, and refining projects [5][11] International Collaboration and Policy - The US critical minerals policy has been consistent across administrations, focusing on reshoring and building domestic supply chains [15][16] - There is potential for the US and Australia to integrate their economies to support each other in critical minerals development [8][17]