India’s Critical Mineral Challenge in a New Global Resource Order

Australia's economy and defence industrial base depend heavily on exporting raw critical minerals (lithium, rare earths, cobalt) to China and allies. The article's emphasis on controlled supply chains and 'critical mineral mercantilism' signals that competitors will seek to capture downstream processing and manufacturing—reducing Australia's pricing power and sovereign industrial capacity. If Australia cannot secure processing and manufacturing of critical minerals domestically, it will remain a raw-material exporter vulnerable to geopolitical leverage and supply-chain disruption in wartime or strategic competition.