U.S. Department of State

06/09/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/09/2024 05:20

United States Welcomes New Deal in Graphite Production Between POSCO and Black Rock Mining

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United States Welcomes New Deal in Graphite Production Between POSCO and Black Rock Mining

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

September 6, 2024

The United States, a member of the Minerals Security Partnership (MSP), welcomes the new deal finalized between POSCO of the Republic of Korea and Black Rock Mining (BRM) of Australia that advances cooperation on further developing the natural graphite supply chain by supporting the development of the Mahenge graphite mine in Tanzania.

This collaboration among MSP partners and the private sector is a powerful demonstration of the MSP's capacity to facilitate secure and diversified critical mineral supply chains, which bring economic benefits to local communities and countries abundant in these materials. As noted by the leadership of POSCO and BRM, this deal also elevates Tanzania's role as an important player in the graphite supply chain.

This milestone agreement, forged in close collaboration with the 15 MSP partners, significantly increases the global supply of natural graphite, which is used in lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles, solar panels, and more. This project will strengthen and diversify global supply chains for graphite across several markets.

For more information on the MSP, go to: Minerals Security Partnership. To stay up to date, follow Under Secretary Fernandez on X: @State_E, LinkedIn: @State-E, and Facebook: @StateDeptE. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].