* The US and Australia have now secured a supply chain for critical minerals and rare earths
* Each nation will add "at least" $US1 billion ($A1.5 billion) in investments to support a $US8.5 billion ($A13
billion) pipeline of critical projects over the next six months
* Those projects will be in Australia and the US
WHAT AUSTRALIAN PROJECTS ARE INVOLVED
* Australia has named two priority projects: the Alcoa-Sojitz Gallium Recovery Project in Western Australia and the Arafura Nolans project in the Northern Territory
* The Alcoa project will receive up to $US200 million ($A307 million) in concessional equity finance from the Australian government
* The US will make its own investment - giving it offtake rights - through the US Department of War, which is supporting the building an advance refinery
* This project is set to provide up to 10 per cent of total global supply of gallium, which is used for semiconductor, circuits and solar cells productionÂ
* Australia is also making a $US100 million ($A153 million) equity investment in the Arafura Nolans project
* The project is expected to produce five per cent of global rare earths, which are used for smartphones, weapons and renewable energy technologies
WHAT ELSE IS GOING TO HAPPEN
* A US-Australia Critical Minerals Supply Security Response Group will be set up
* It will be led by Australia's Minister for Resources Madeleine King and US Secretary of Energy Charles Wright
* The group will identify priority minerals and supply vulnerabilities
* It will also develop a plan to accelerate delivery of processed minerals
Source: Australian and US governments
