Thailand and USA join forces for critical minerals: A new deal!

Thailand and USA join forces for critical minerals: A new deal!

In a landmark move, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and US President Donald Trump signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on October 26, 2025. This document represents a collaboration between the governments of the United States and Thailand aimed at diversifying global supply chains for critical minerals and promoting investment. Loud Transborder News The focus is on improving the management of these essential raw materials, which are indispensable for modern industry.

Critical minerals are those that are of enormous importance to various industries—and the assessment of these raw materials is nothing short of crucial. They are important not only for the natural resource economy, but also for the technology sector and the energy transition. The definition of “critical” is that it concerns vital and indispensable elements, often associated with significant challenges, particularly in the areas of environment and social responsibility. Information about these terms can be found in the dictionary Merriam Webster.

Partnership and sustainability in focus

With the new MoU, both countries want to strengthen cooperation between US and Thai companies. A key goal is to protect the market for critical minerals through transparent, fair trading guidelines and to improve the legal framework. This includes, among other things, government meetings and the exchange of data and technical expertise to increase Thailand's competitiveness in the global critical minerals sector.

But the challenges should not be underestimated. Representative Kanweer Suebsaeng points out the US's dependence on rare earths and sees Thailand as more of a transit country for the export of minerals because the country has no deposits of its own. Experts also fear that Thailand currently plays a marginal role in the global supply chain, especially given that over 90% of these supplies are in the hands of China.

Global initiatives and local responsibility

In the larger context of global mineral supply, a recent meeting of the Minerals Security Partnership held in London. This partnership includes countries such as the USA, Australia, Canada and many more, with the aim of ensuring the supply of critical raw materials for the energy transition and promoting responsible supply chains. Environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards play a major role here.

Progress is expected to be made through 17 global mining and recycling projects, with new capacities being built particularly in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region. But here, too, it is often about high investments in technology and adherence to sustainable practices. One example is the Chvaletice manganese project in the Czech Republic, which is engaged in the reprocessing of mine waste to support the circular economy.

Overall, it is clear: developments surrounding critical minerals will continue to be a hot topic in the future. While the MoU provides Thailand with opportunities to consolidate its position in this important industry, it remains to be seen whether the feared challenges in cooperation with the USA can actually be overcome.