Australia is ramping up its bid to strike a deal with the Trump administration on critical minerals in time for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s October 20 meeting with US President Donald Trump, who took Australian officials by surprise on Friday with a fresh round of tariffs on medicines.

Months after the US rebuffed an initial offer to plug into Australia’s emerging rare earths sector, Albanese’s ministers are negotiating with senior Trump lieutenants to guarantee the Americans access to the elements needed to build everything from smartphones to electric vehicles and fighter jets, as the US moves to cut off its dependence on Chinese supply chains.

US President Donald Trump announced 100 per cent tariffs on pharamceuticals via Truth Social. Credit: Bloomberg

Albanese could get t

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