A renewed G7 agreement to coordinate critical minerals supply chains, including aligned stockpiling and joint investment screening, is set to open additional export and project financing avenues for Australian producers of lithium, nickel, rare earths and other battery metals. The pact aims to reduce dependence on dominant suppliers such as China by supporting alternative processing and refining capacity in trusted jurisdictions, with Australia positioned as a key upstream source. For miners, the move signals stronger offtake certainty and potential backing for new concentrators, refineries and midstream facilities.

China’s new Mineral Resources Law, in force this week, introduces explicit provisions for import–export controls and “countermeasures” against activities deemed to threaten its mineral resource security and supply chain stability, according to Ministry of Natural Resources official Yan Bo. The overhaul, the first major rewrite since 1986, lets Beijing define and update a list of “strategic minerals”, refine a state reserve system by product, capacity and origin, and requisition resources or directly organise mining during crises. Analysts at BMO and Rare Earth Exchanges say this effectively hardwires China’s dominance in rare earths and other critical minerals into a legal tool for long-term geopolitical competition.

Senior figures from UK civil engineering, infrastructure, construction, water, energy and transport have received King’s Birthday Honours, signalling government recognition of major project delivery and sector leadership. Recipients include leaders involved in complex rail and highway upgrades, strategic water resilience schemes and grid-scale energy infrastructure, where long-term asset performance and whole-life cost management are central. The awards are likely to strengthen the voice of practising engineers in policy discussions on net zero, infrastructure funding and climate adaptation standards.