U.S. and Australia sign critical minerals agreement with $8.5 billion project pipeline

President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese connected Monday signed an statement connected captious minerals that includes plans for projects worthy a full of up to $8.5 billion.

"There volition beryllium $1 cardinal contributed from Australia and the United States implicit the adjacent six months with projects that are instantly available," Albanese told reporters astatine the White House during a gathering with Trump.

Albanese said determination volition beryllium 3 groups of associated projects betwixt the 2 countries, which volition see companies specified arsenic Alcoa. The U.S. volition put successful uncommon earths processing successful Australia, the premier curate said. One task is simply a associated task betwixt Australia, the U.S. and Japan, helium said.

China announced strict export controls connected uncommon earths earlier this month, pushing Beijing and Washington to the brink of a renewed commercialized war. Trump has threatened 100% tariffs connected Chinese goods starting Nov. 1 oregon sooner if Beijing does not backmost down.

Trump confirmed that helium volition conscionable with Chinese President Xi Jinping successful South Korea aboriginal this month. The U.S. president said helium volition sojourn China aboriginal adjacent year.

"We had presidents that allowed China and different countries get distant with murder," Trump told reporters. "We're not going to let that, but we're going to person a just deal. I privation to beryllium bully to China. I emotion my narration with President Xi. We person a large relationship."

This is simply a processing story. Please cheque backmost for updates.