United States, Pakistan and Rare Earth Mineral Cooperation

SD-PRFTeam

The growing diplomatic relationship between Pakistan and the United States (US) can be perceived as another instance of a transactional partnership, yet it is underpinned by the United States’ urgent need for the rare earth mineral, particularly antimony (Sb), alongside Pakistan’s necessity for modern defence equipment and financial support independent of China.

The US Department of War awarded a contract valued at USD 43.4 million on September 30, 2025, for the extraction of stibnite to produce military grade antimony trisulfide. The mineral is essential for manufacturing small and medium-calibre ammunition. This award was among 17 issued by the DPA (Defence Production Act) Purchases Office, totalling USD 856.2 million since the start of fiscal year 2025. In view of the conflicts in Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas, there is an increased need for this component in the United States, one of the leading arms suppliers.

China possesses 85% of the world’s antimony reserves, followed by Russia. According to Oceanchem Group, a Chinese state-owned enterprise, China’s global antimony ore production share decreased from 77% to 54% between 2015 and 2024, resulting in artificial scarcity. For several years, antimony mining has not occurred in the United States, and its reserves in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, and Nevada are most likely preserved for strategic purposes.

In March 2025, both national and international news sources publicised the discovery of substantial antimony reserves in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. Despite consistent promotion of Pakistan’s mineral potential, production has failed due to inadequate investment, security concerns, and market restrictions.

The recent information may indicate a likelihood of such a discovery and the potential to generate certain outcomes. There are two primary justifications for this. The Baluchistan Provincial Assembly expedited the passage of the “Baluchistan Mines and Minerals Bill, 2025” and passed it on March 17, paving the way for production. Furthermore, the project’s findings are detailed in a 1975 publication from the US Department of the Interior Geological Survey, titled “Antimony Deposits of the Quetta-Pishin Districts” in Baluchistan. The comprehensive report, inclusive of cartographic representations, concludes that “the total area in which alteration and possible mineral deposits may be found is very large.”

Following the announcement of the discovery of antimony in Baluchistan, the Chief of Army Staff of Pakistan, Field Marshal Munir, undertook two trips to the United States. In June 2025, an unprecedented meeting with Trump took place at the White House. Subsequently, Field Marshal Munir stated that Pakistan seeks not security assistance or aid from the United States, but trade, investment, and mutual respect. In July 2025, President Trump announced on social media that the United States and Pakistan had reached an agreement to jointly develop Pakistan’s oil reserves. Though the specifics of this agreement have not been disclosed. The successive events, such as the United States’ classification of the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) as a “foreign terrorist” organisation on August 11, alongside Asim Munir’s second visit to the United States on August 10, provided a sufficient indication that the relationship was experiencing improvement, contingent upon certain elements. This was confirmed by the release of a White House photograph showing Field Marshal Munir and Prime Minister Shabaz Sharif presenting samples of Pakistan’s rare-earth minerals to President Trump in the Oval Office.

In the meantime, Memoranda of Understanding were signed by US Strategic Metals (USSM) and the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) of Pakistan. The initial phase of this agreement expects investments of around USD 500 million in Pakistan’s critical minerals sector. The sample shipment containing antimony, copper concentrate, and rare earth elements, including neodymium and praseodymium, was dispatched to the United States in October 2025.

Should Pakistan meet the United States’ most pressing requirements, it would undoubtedly seek something of comparable importance, surpassing mere financial assistance, as Field Marshal Munir articulated. This deal could potentially be linked to the subsequent addition of Pakistan to the U.S.’s list of AMRAAM missile purchasers on September 30. The AMRAAM agreement contract dated May 7, 2025, does not include Pakistan as a missile purchaser. The revision of this list could have also been influenced by the visit of Pakistan Air Chief Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu to the US in July. The F-16 Falcons of the Pakistan Air Force are equipped with US-manufactured missiles.

The US embassy in New Delhi attempted to clarify that the contract modification in question neither includes the supply of new AMRAAMs to Pakistan nor upgrades any of Pakistan’s current capabilities. The implication has been made that the recent sale is linked to the existing agreement, and the United States is not offering a new generation of AMRAAMs; thus, the current capabilities of the Pakistan Air Force are not being enhanced. The press release, however, does not deny the sale of missiles. The United States delivered 500 AMRAAMs to Pakistan in 2014.

In continuation of high-level defence engagements, Pakistan’s Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, visited Washington in October, where he convened with naval, coast guard, and state officials. The United States has previously supplied Pakistan with several naval platforms, including Anti-Ship Harpoon Missiles, anti-submarine torpedoes, aircraft, frigates, and, more recently, ship engines.

Following the recent India-Pakistan conflict, it became evident that Pakistan’s air defences were ineffective, with Indian missiles and drones penetrating deep into Pakistani territory. China is the origin of acquisition for the majority of these AD systems. Thus, Pakistan may be considering the acquisition of advanced tactical air defence systems from the United States, in addition to its traditional supplies, while maintaining defence cooperation with China on more conventional weapon systems. Recently, the US has sold such systems to Egypt and even Saudi Arabia, with whom Pakistan has signed a “Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement” in September 2025.

The upward trend in US-Pakistan relations is expected to persist, with more agreements anticipated soon, provided Pakistan continues to supply antimony and other rare-earth minerals as long as the United States requires them. This equation may not fully consider prolonged geopolitical impacts, with the exception of the recently observed, superficial diplomatic interactions between the two nations on issues such as the India-Pakistan conflict. Should this temporary arrangement between the US and Pakistan result in the provision of advanced US weaponry to Pakistan, there would be long-term security consequences for South Asia.

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