Pentagon pitched EXIM Australian nickel investment

(Australian Financial Review, Washington, 8 March 2024) The Pentagon held discussions with Resources Minister Madeleine King about how it could co-invest in an Australian nickel project alongside the Australian government to help mitigate the impact of a glut undermining future critical minerals self-reliance. Ms King met with the under-secretary of defence for acquisition and sustainment, Bill La Plante, at the Pentagon on Thursday (Friday AEDT) to discuss options available following a collapse in the nickel price that has led to the closure and write-down of Australian projects. “The options around collaboration of government financing agencies with those out of America might be EXIM, or under the Defence Production Act,” she said. The Export-Import Bank is the export credit arm of the US federal government.