AUSTRALIA FORCES CHINA OUT OF ITS STRATEGIC MINERALS SECTOR
Australia has ordered six Chinese-linked investors to divest their combined 17.6% stake in Northern Minerals, the country's largest rare earth developer, pursuant to the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act. The decision marks Canberra's second forced divestment involving critical minerals in two years, and follows concerns that previous ownership restrictions had been circumvented through share transfers. Northern Minerals' Brown Range project in Western Australia derives approximately 70% of its value from rare earth elements used in advanced defense systems, electric vehicles, and other strategic technologies. The move reflects Australia's increasingly restrictive approach toward Chinese investment in critical mineral assets, signaling that control of rare earth supply chains is now viewed as a national security priority rather than solely an economic issue. (Wall Street Journal, May 18, 2026)
WASHINGTON CREATES COMMERCIAL FUSION POWER ROADMAP
The U.S. Department of Energy has released its Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap, outlining a national strategy to accelerate the commercialization of fusion energy and deploy pilot plants during the 2030s. Over 800 scientists and engineers contributed to the policy, which outlines clear priorities in terms of research, supply chains, and public-private collaboration. The initiative comes as China expands investment in fusion through its 15th Five-Year Plan and the launch of the $2.1 billion China Fusion Energy Co. Ltd., an investment that exceeds the DOE's annual fusion budget by roughly 2.5 times. Successfully commercializing fusion energy could both strengthen U.S. energy security, reduce long term dependence on fossil fuels, and reshape the strategic importance of global energy and critical mineral supply chains. (U.S. Department of Energy, June 9, 2026)
HOUSE ADVANCES ALLIED CRITICAL MINERAL SECURITY
Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Developing Overseas Mineral Investments and New Allied Networks for Critical Energies (DOMINANCE) Act – legislation designed to strengthen U.S. and allied critical mineral supply chains while reducing dependence on China. The bill expands financing, political risk insurance, and co-financing of mineral projects for both military and commercial use. The initiative comes amid growing concerns over China's dominance in global mineral markets, including U.S. reliance on Chinese imports for more than eleven critical minerals and Beijing's use of industrial overcapacity and below-market pricing to strengthen its foothold in global supply chains. (mining.com, June 9, 2026)
ISRAEL LAUNCHES WORLD'S FIRST MOBILE CLIMATE LAB
Israel has launched the world's first mobile climate laboratory in Kenya to address critical environmental data gaps across Africa. Developed by the Weizmann Institute of Science, the laboratory is equipped with more than 30 scientific instruments to track carbon exchange, water usage, solar radiation, and vegetation, studying soil and crop conditions to create agriculture that fits best with the environment and helps bolster food security. Located at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Kapiti, Kenya, the project is expected to operate for at least three years before relocating to Mount Kenya and additional sites in Tanzania and South Africa. It is designed to lay the foundation for a continent-wide environmental monitoring system to enhance both resource security and regional stability. (Business Insider, May 4, 2026)
CHINA EXPANDS STRATEGIC MINERALS PARTNERSHIP WITH NAMIBIA
During Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's state visit to Beijing earlier this month, China and Namibia signed eight agreements to expand collaboration in infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and critical minerals. The agreements include plans for cooperation on the development of strategic resources such as uranium, lithium, and rare earth elements. China is already Namibia's largest export market, with uranium accounting for approximately 85% of the country's exports to China. Chinese firms have also invested more than $4 billion to date in Namibia's metals sector. As global competition for critical minerals intensifies, the agreements further strengthen China's position in Africa. (Reuters, July 10, 2026)