ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has formally entered the global rare earth and critical minerals market after dispatching its first shipment to the United States under a $500 million export agreement with U.S. Strategic Metals.
Officials said the shipment implements two memoranda of understanding signed in September 2025 in the presence of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and senior officials from both countries.
Under the agreement, Pakistan will supply minerals including antimony, copper concentrate and rare earth elements such as neodymium and praseodymium.
The partnership covers the full mineral value chain, ranging from exploration and processing to concentrate production, with plans for refinery development at a later stage.
Government sources said the project is designed to support technology transfer, create skilled jobs and strengthen Pakistan’s domestic mining industry.
For the United States, the arrangement helps diversify supply chains for critical minerals used in defence manufacturing and clean energy technologies.
Officials described the shipment as a milestone for Pakistan’s resource sector and said the agreement is expected to deepen economic cooperation between Islamabad and Washington while opening new avenues for industrial growth.
