China dominates the production of metals used in everything from solar panels to precision missiles -- and has threatened to strangle supplies as it fights a festering trade war with Washington.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese travels to the White House later this month, where officials are hopeful of striking a deal to send more critical minerals to the United States.

Here are five things you should know about Australia and critical minerals.

- Treasure trove -

Australia is blessed with bulging reserves of critical minerals.

Government figures show it is among the world's top five producers of lithium, cobalt and manganese -- used in everything from rechargeable batteries to aircraft jet engines.

It is also home to substantial deposits of rare earth elements such as neodymium and praseodymium.

A subset of critical minerals, these coveted metals are used to make strong magnets with myriad industrial applications.

- Unfinished product -

Australia is very good at digging up these minerals, but like most other mining nations has struggled to process them onshore.

More than 90 percent of Australia's lithium is shipped off each year to the hulking refineries in China.

Efforts to build up its own refining capacity have been held back by environmental concerns and the high cost of infrastructure.

- Breaking the monopoly -

China is easily the world's largest refiner of lithium and nickel, and has a near monopoly on the processing of rare earth elements.

Beijing has previously banned the export of processing technology that could help rival nations and has been accused of using state-imposed quotas to manipulate supply in the past.

Analysts say Australia poses little threat to this dominance -- but could offer a reliable, smaller pipeline that lessens the risk of reliance on China.

- No secrets -

Australian company Lynas bills itself as the "world's only significant producer of separated rare earth materials outside China".

In an effort to loosen China's stranglehold, the US government has already agreed a $258 million contract for Lynas to build a new refinery in Texas.

Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell has made no secret of his desire to ink a broader critical minerals deal with Washington.

"We've been discussing the issue of critical minerals from, I think, the day Donald Trump became president of the United States," he said this month.

- Foreign meddling -

Canberra is worried that the growing strategic importance of critical minerals could see foreign powers try to infiltrate homegrown mining companies.

"Australian critical minerals companies are a target for a range of foreign actors seeking to gain a commercial, technological or strategic advantage," reads an official advisory from March.

The government in 2024 forced a string of Chinese shareholders to sell their stakes in Australian rare earths business Northern Minerals.

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LYNAS

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