Pakistan Dispatches First-Ever Shipment of Rare Earth and Critical Minerals to United States Under Landmark $500M Agreement

ISLAMABAD, Oct. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a historic milestone for bilateral cooperation, Pakistan has successfully delivered its first batch of enriched rare earth elements and critical minerals to US Strategic Metals (USSM) in the United States. This achievement inaugurates a $500 million partnership framework, signed earlier this month, and signals the beginning of a new chapter in the Pakistan–U.S. strategic partnership.

A Shared Vision for Secure Supply Chains

On September 8, 2025, the Government of Pakistan and USSM signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) in the presence of:

• Hon. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
• Field Marshal Asim Munir (N.I.)
• Senior officials from Islamabad and Washington

These MoUs align with U.S. President Donald Trump's vision to strengthen alternative supply chains for critical inputs essential to national security, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing.

"Today, Pakistan steps forward as a credible and trusted partner in building secure and diversified supply chains for the future of our two nations." — Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif

From Ore to Opportunity

The agreements create a framework for joint development of the entire mineral value chain—including exploration, beneficiation, concentrate production, and eventual establishment of refineries in Pakistan.

In this first shipment, Pakistan has indigenously sourced and prepared:

• Antimony
• Copper concentrate
• Rare earth elements with neodymium and praseodymium

Strategic and Economic Significance

• For Pakistan: Entry into the global minerals supply chain, with the potential to generate billions in revenues, large-scale job creation, and technology transfer. Pakistan natural resources are estimated at around 6 Trillion USD making it one of the largest precious metals and rare earth minerals on the world.
• For the United States: A strategic safeguard ensuring resilience and independence from external monopolies, while securing vital inputs for its defense, energy, and high-tech sectors.

Mr. Stacy W. Hastie, CEO of USSM stated "We see this as the first step in our exciting journey together with the Frontier Works Organisation of Pakistan, to provide critical minerals to the United States and bolster economic trade and friendship between our two countries."

Looking Ahead

With this first delivery completed and a multi-phase investment framework underway, Pakistan is now positioned as a rising force in the global critical minerals economy—and a long-term partner to the United States.

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SOURCE US Strategic Metals