Marubeni has agreed to invest in RZ Resources’ Australia critical minerals project, contributing A$15m for a 5% equity stake. The project aims to produce heavy mineral sands like rutile and zircon crucial for aerospace and defence industries. Japan, heavily reliant on imports for critical minerals, sees the project as a way to secure its supply chain. The initiative has received interest from the Export-Import Bank of the US and Export Finance Australia for financing. Marubeni plans to ensure stable supplies of critical minerals and rare earths through the project, aiming to expand into midstream and downstream segments for an integrated supply chain. In a related move, Marubeni and Hitachi Construction Machinery set up a joint venture in Brazil for mining equipment sales and maintenance services.

Read more at Yahoo Finance: Marubeni invests in Australian critical minerals project with RZ Resources