Commodities

EU, Australia Sign Critical Minerals Pact to Diversify Supply Chains

  • Deal to cover greater cooperation, research in crucial sector
  • Western nations are attempting to set up alternative supplies

A lithium project in Western Australia.

Photographer: Carla Gottgens/Bloomberg
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Australia and the European Union have struck an agreement to boost cooperation and investment in critical minerals, part of a drive by Western nations to loosen China’s grip on supply chains of materials essential to high-tech and green manufacturing.

Ministers in Canberra and Brussels signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday, which will be followed by the joint development of “concrete actions” over the next six months to improve collaboration on critical minerals projects.