Posted on 29 Oct 2025
Global investment firm Orion Resource Partners announced Thursday the creation of a $1.8 billion private-public consortium to support critical minerals supply chains.
In partnership with the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), the so-called Orion Critical Mineral Consortium (CMC) aims to create a platform for investment. It will bring together “leading” metals and mining investors and operators, targeting up to $5 billion in investment, Kallanish understands.
The US government’s international investment arm has made an undisclosed initial capital commitment, matched by Orion and ADQ. The institution says it seeks to advance US foreign policy and strengthen national security by mobilising private capital around the world. It has over $49 billion in its active global investment portfolio.
According to Frank Fannon, former US assistant secretary for energy resources and managing partner of Orion CMC, the US has understood that it must develop alternative critical minerals supply chains for more than a decade. “However, America has lacked a private sector champion that understands niche metals and commodities, that has emerging markets experience, and a successful track record of building and operating complex mining operations. Orion CMC is well-positioned to be that champion,” he adds.
The consortium will prioritise investment in existing or near-term producing assets, instead of frontier exploration projects. The aim is to answer America’s and its allied and partner nations’ demand in short order, looking at offtake agreements, domestic processing capacity, and cost-effective minerals technological solutions.
The standalone investment platform will serve as a “crucial bridge between emerging market nations and global consumers, from advanced manufacturing to data centres and artificial intelligence providers,” the companies claim. They are yet to disclose details on the potential first investments or whether it will prioritise certain minerals such as rare earths.
New York-based Orion Resource Partners has 95 portfolio companies and partnerships across the globe.
Source:Kallanish
