The Trump administration will invest $1.6bn (£1.2bn) in a US critical minerals firm, marking officials' latest push to reduce China's dominance over the rare earths sector.
The agreement with USA Rare Earth, which will give the government a stake in the firm, emerged days after US President Donald Trump claimed to have secured the "framework" of a deal over Greenland - which he said includes access to rare earth minerals.
It follows similar investments by the US government in minerals companies since Trump returned to the White House a year ago.
Officials want to boost US production of minerals essential to everything from smartphones to defence technologies.
USA Rare Earth, which controls deposits of so-called "heavy" rare earths that are often used for defence technologies, said the investment will fund mining, processing, metal-making and magnet manufacturing.
