The Orion Critical Mineral Consortium (CMC), led by Orion Resource Partners, has been established with an initial investment of $1.8bn to bolster US economic competitiveness and national security.
Orion CMC was established by Orion in partnership with the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding firm ADQ.
The consortium is set to support the development of secure and resilient supply chains for critical minerals essential for future growth and security.
This consortium will bring together metals and mining investors and operators to create a multibillion-dollar platform focused on critical minerals investments, with a goal of reaching $5bn.
DFC CEO Ben Black said: “Securing critical minerals is a paramount matter of US strategic interest and economic prosperity. CMC was created to establish a robust pipeline of secure critical mineral investments vital to advancing American economic prosperity. I am proud of the incredible work done by DFC and its partners to secure these vital resources, which will safeguard America's leadership in advanced technologies.”
The DFC, the US Government's international investment arm founded in 2019, has made an initial capital commitment to Orion CMC.
This commitment has been matched by funds managed by Orion and ADQ, bringing the consortium's size to $1.8bn.
The consortium aims to engage with mission-aligned investors and partner nations to secure the critical minerals vital to the modern economy.
Orion CMC will focus on investing in and developing critical minerals across various emerging jurisdictions, managing offtake agreements and integrating scalable mineral technological solutions.
The consortium will prioritise investments in existing or near-term producing assets, rather than long-term exploration projects, to address the needs of the US and its allies.
As an independent investment platform, Orion CMC will act as a link between emerging market nations and global consumers, including sectors like advanced manufacturing and AI.
This initiative aligns with Orion's strategic efforts to secure supply chains for strategic metals and critical minerals, demonstrated by the launch of Orion Abu Dhabi, a joint venture with ADQ, on 30 January 2025.
Orion Resource Partners founder and CEO Oskar Lewnowski said: “Orion CMC represents a significant step forward in bridging the substantial funding gap needed to accelerate investment in the critical minerals supply chain, while at the same time boosting US economic growth.
“The consortium brings together some of the best operators in the industry with the expertise needed to build a diversified portfolio of critical minerals assets across multiple jurisdictions. We are delighted to have the backing of the DFC and look forward to working with our partners to deliver on the opportunity ahead of us.”
