Australia and the U.S. have committed more than A$5 billion ($3.5 billion) to back a range of critical mineral projects, nearly double the amount pledged when the two countries struck a co-operation agreement six months ago, Canberra said on Sunday. The funding seeks to support Australian ventures to develop and refine metals vital to industries including defence, advanced manufacturing and the energy transition, a market that has long been dominated by China. By doing so, they would support the re-industrialisation of America’s high-tech manufacturing base, while helping to “counter China’s export dominance and ... (full story)