Australia Orders China-Linked Investors to Sell Northern Minerals Stake
Six China-, Hong Kong- and BVI-linked investors must sell 1.7 billion shares within 14 days, after Canberra cited national security concerns.
- On Monday, Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers ordered six China-linked investors to divest about 1.7 billion shares in Northern Minerals within 14 days, requiring the entities controlling 17.5% of the company to sell their holdings to protect national interests.
- Following previous divestment orders in 2024 and 2025, officials aim to protect the Browns Range rare earths project, a critical asset for military and tech manufacturing facing suspected foreign influence and control.
- Targeted investors include Vastness Investment Group and Real International Resources, after Treasury concerns that parties breached earlier directives by transferring shares to Hong Kong Ying Tak Ltd to circumvent selling requirements.
- Shares in the company fell more than 4% in morning trade as Northern Minerals entered a trading halt, stating it is "currently considering" the treasurer's orders and "will make a further announcement once it has done so."
- John Coyne from the Australian Strategic Policy Institute told the ABC that the government "appears to have concluded" investors ignored repeated directions, signaling Australia's increased use of investment policy for economic security.
29 Articles
29 Articles
Northern Minerals promotes dysprosium for e-cars and fighter jets. Australia's government now instructs six shareholders to sell their shares – because they are from China.
Fearing a takeover of the company by Chinese investors, the Australian government announced that it had ordered several Chinese-related Northern Minerals shareholders to divest their shares.
Australia to force investors with China ties to divest from rare earths company
Australia’s treasurer on Monday has again told investors with Chinese connections to dispose of shares in a domestic rare earths company with A$53.3 million (US$38.2 million) in total assets. The move suggests the country intends to tighten its grip on local control of the rare earths market, as global supply chains shift and the United States taps Australian sources. Analysts said the move may be Australia’s way to diversify its rare earth supp…
Sapo
The Australian government today ordered a group of shareholders with links to China, of the rare land company Northern Minerals, to sell their shares, invoking the need to protect this strategic sector from external influences. Northern Minerals seeks to challenge China's dominance in the production of dystrosium, a mineral used in the manufacture of permanent magnets for electric vehicles. In recent years, Chinese investors have tried to acquir…
Australia orders China-linked investors to sell stakes in rare earths firm
Australia’s government has ordered the biggest shareholders in rare earths firm Northern Minerals Ltd. to sell their stakes, in its latest attempt to force some Chinese investors to divest on national security grounds.
Australia Orders 6 Chinese Firms to Sell Off Interest in Rare Earth Miner
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has given six shareholders 14 days to sell their interests—about 17.5 percent—in Australian rare earths miner Northern Minerals Limited. The six shareholders include four companies and two individuals—all but one are based in Hong Kong or China. Northern Minerals, which hopes to extract dysprosium and terbium in Western Australia’s East Kimberley region, has long been a target of Chinese interest with multiple companies at…
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