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Sydney Morning Herald
30-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Australia's lawsuit over rare minerals is a geopolitical litmus test
In a move that would have been unthinkable a decade ago, Treasurer Jim Chalmers has launched a Federal Court lawsuit to force Chinese-linked entities to divest from a key rare earth miner. This isn't just a legal dispute; it's a test of whether Australia is willing to enforce its sovereignty in the face of economic intimidation and strategic competition. The test is one of enforcing set red lines or, in Seinfeld parlance, not just knowing how to make a reservation but knowing how to hold a reservation. That's why, if we're serious about holding onto the strategic advantages of our critical minerals sector and not just making short-term profits, this is a moment for resolve. At the heart of the matter is Northern Minerals, an Australian company developing the Browns Range heavy rare earths project in WA. It is an operation that could become one of the first non-Chinese sources of the critical minerals essential for advanced military systems, clean energy technologies and high-end electronics. Despite a clear directive from Chalmers last year for five Chinese-linked entities to divest their stakes in Northern Minerals, at least one, Indian Ocean International Shipping and Service Company Ltd, allegedly failed to comply. Now, in a move that's both unprecedented and essential, the Commonwealth is suing. Yes, we are dealing with companies but there really is no such thing as the Chinese private sector. As much as the Australian government will rightly make the case for this being about a commercial matter, this is all about the threat from the Chinese government and its objective of controlling critical minerals not just as economic leverage but as a strategic weapon. Loading It's deeply concerning that foreign investors have openly defied a directive from the Australian government. That would never be tolerated by Beijing. In China, foreign companies must abide by a highly restrictive, state-controlled investment environment or risk being expelled immediately. Yet in Australia, even after years of intensifying economic coercion and evidence of strategic interference, certain state-linked actors have come to believe that our foreign investment laws are optional or that the fear of retaliatory action by Beijing would result in Australian inaction. To the credit of the government, this lawsuit challenges that dangerous assumption head-on. Chalmers' statement was unequivocal: 'Foreign investors in Australia are required to follow Australian law.' What is at stake isn't just legal precedent – it's Australia's ability to protect the integrity of its critical minerals sector. These minerals – such as dysprosium, terbium and neodymium – are the foundational inputs for technologies ranging from F-35 fighter jets and hypersonic missiles to electric vehicles and offshore wind turbines.
The Age
30-06-2025
- Business
- The Age
Australia's lawsuit over rare minerals is a geopolitical litmus test
In a move that would have been unthinkable a decade ago, Treasurer Jim Chalmers has launched a Federal Court lawsuit to force Chinese-linked entities to divest from a key rare earth miner. This isn't just a legal dispute; it's a test of whether Australia is willing to enforce its sovereignty in the face of economic intimidation and strategic competition. The test is one of enforcing set red lines or, in Seinfeld parlance, not just knowing how to make a reservation but knowing how to hold a reservation. That's why, if we're serious about holding onto the strategic advantages of our critical minerals sector and not just making short-term profits, this is a moment for resolve. At the heart of the matter is Northern Minerals, an Australian company developing the Browns Range heavy rare earths project in WA. It is an operation that could become one of the first non-Chinese sources of the critical minerals essential for advanced military systems, clean energy technologies and high-end electronics. Despite a clear directive from Chalmers last year for five Chinese-linked entities to divest their stakes in Northern Minerals, at least one, Indian Ocean International Shipping and Service Company Ltd, allegedly failed to comply. Now, in a move that's both unprecedented and essential, the Commonwealth is suing. Yes, we are dealing with companies but there really is no such thing as the Chinese private sector. As much as the Australian government will rightly make the case for this being about a commercial matter, this is all about the threat from the Chinese government and its objective of controlling critical minerals not just as economic leverage but as a strategic weapon. Loading It's deeply concerning that foreign investors have openly defied a directive from the Australian government. That would never be tolerated by Beijing. In China, foreign companies must abide by a highly restrictive, state-controlled investment environment or risk being expelled immediately. Yet in Australia, even after years of intensifying economic coercion and evidence of strategic interference, certain state-linked actors have come to believe that our foreign investment laws are optional or that the fear of retaliatory action by Beijing would result in Australian inaction. To the credit of the government, this lawsuit challenges that dangerous assumption head-on. Chalmers' statement was unequivocal: 'Foreign investors in Australia are required to follow Australian law.' What is at stake isn't just legal precedent – it's Australia's ability to protect the integrity of its critical minerals sector. These minerals – such as dysprosium, terbium and neodymium – are the foundational inputs for technologies ranging from F-35 fighter jets and hypersonic missiles to electric vehicles and offshore wind turbines.
The Age
27-06-2025
- Business
- The Age
Chalmers hits China-linked companies with landmark lawsuit over crucial military minerals
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has launched an unprecedented lawsuit against China-linked interests to force them to sell their stake in an Australian rare earths miner, whose products are crucial to warplanes, missiles and submarines. The lawsuit, filed in the Federal Court on Thursday against foreign investors in Northern Minerals, is also seeking financial penalties for allegedly refusing to obey Chalmers' direction to sell out of the company last year. The Australian-listed company is developing the Browns Range heavy rare earths project in remote northern Western Australia, which could be one of the first non-Chinese sources of the minerals used in military guidance systems, wind turbines and electric vehicles. Chalmers' court action against an entity called Indian Ocean International Shipping and Service Company Ltd and a former associate follows his order last year for five Chinese-linked groups to sell their shares in Northern Minerals to unconnected buyers by September. 'Foreign investors in Australia are required to follow Australian law,' Chalmers said in a statement. 'We are doing what is necessary to protect the national interest and the integrity of our foreign investment framework.' China's control of rare earths and critical products is an escalating cause of concern to the United States and countries like Australia, after Donald Trump's trade war prompted Beijing to restrict shipments of the materials. It has made similar moves before, including against Japan in 2010 during a territorial dispute. China controls nearly all of the world's heavy rare earth production and Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior fellow Ian Satchwell said the global superpower's interests were seeking to exert influence over Northern Minerals. 'Australia, with like-minded partner nations, is seeking to build alternative supply chains for rare earths and other critical minerals, and the Northern Minerals shenanigans are a very obvious example of China-linked bad faith investing to allegedly seek to disrupt those efforts,' Satchwell said. 'In Australia's case those rare earths are used for things such as F35 fighters, missiles attached to them and in the future, nuclear-powered submarines.'
Sydney Morning Herald
26-06-2025
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Chalmers hits China-linked companies with landmark lawsuit over crucial military minerals
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has launched an unprecedented lawsuit against China-linked interests to force them to sell their stake in an Australian rare earths miner, whose products are crucial to warplanes, missiles and submarines. The lawsuit, filed in the Federal Court on Thursday against foreign investors in Northern Minerals, is also seeking financial penalties for allegedly refusing to obey Chalmers' direction to sell out of the company last year. The Australian-listed company is developing the Browns Range heavy rare earths project in remote northern Western Australia, which could be one of the first non-Chinese sources of the minerals used in military guidance systems, wind turbines and electric vehicles. Chalmers' court action against an entity called Indian Ocean International Shipping and Service Company Ltd and a former associate follows his order last year for five Chinese-linked groups to sell their shares in Northern Minerals to unconnected buyers by September. 'Foreign investors in Australia are required to follow Australian law,' Chalmers said in a statement. 'We are doing what is necessary to protect the national interest and the integrity of our foreign investment framework.' China's control of rare earths and critical products is an escalating cause of concern to the United States and countries like Australia, after Donald Trump's trade war prompted Beijing to restrict shipments of the materials. It has made similar moves before, including against Japan in 2010 during a territorial dispute. China controls nearly all of the world's heavy rare earth production and Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior fellow Ian Satchwell said the global superpower's interests were seeking to exert influence over Northern Minerals. 'Australia, with like-minded partner nations, is seeking to build alternative supply chains for rare earths and other critical minerals, and the Northern Minerals shenanigans are a very obvious example of China-linked bad faith investing to allegedly seek to disrupt those efforts,' Satchwell said. 'In Australia's case those rare earths are used for things such as F35 fighters, missiles attached to them and in the future, nuclear-powered submarines.'
The Age
26-06-2025
- Business
- The Age
Chalmers sues China-linked companies over crucial military minerals
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has launched an unprecedented lawsuit against China-linked interests to force them to sell their stake in an Australian rare earths miner, whose products are crucial to warplanes, missiles and submarines. The lawsuit, filed in the Federal Court on Thursday against foreign investors in Northern Minerals, is also seeking financial penalties for allegedly refusing to obey Chalmers' direction to sell out of the company last year. The Australian-listed company is developing the Browns Range heavy rare earths project in remote northern Western Australia, which could be one of the first non-Chinese sources of the minerals used in military guidance systems, wind turbines and electric vehicles. Chalmers' court action against an entity called Indian Ocean International Shipping and Service Company Ltd and a former associate follows his order last year for five Chinese-linked groups to sell their shares in Northern Minerals to unconnected buyers by September. 'Foreign investors in Australia are required to follow Australian law,' Chalmers said in a statement. 'We are doing what is necessary to protect the national interest and the integrity of our foreign investment framework.' China's control of rare earths and critical products is an escalating cause of concern to the United States and countries like Australia, after Donald Trump's trade war prompted Beijing to restrict shipments of the materials. It has made similar moves before, including against Japan in 2010 during a territorial dispute. China controls nearly all of the world's heavy rare earth production and Australian Strategic Policy Institute senior fellow Ian Satchwell said the global superpower's interests were seeking to exert influence over Northern Minerals. 'Australia, with like-minded partner nations, is seeking to build alternative supply chains for rare earths and other critical minerals, and the Northern Minerals shenanigans are a very obvious example of China-linked bad faith investing to allegedly seek to disrupt those efforts,' Satchwell said. 'In Australia's case those rare earths are used for things such as F35 fighters, missiles attached to them and in the future, nuclear-powered submarines.'
