US President Donald Trump signed a deal on rare earth minerals Monday with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and said Washington’s key ally would get its coveted nuclear-powered attack submarines.

The two leaders met at the White House to concentrate on a pair of areas — defense and critical minerals — in which Washington and Canberra are cooperating against what they view as an increasingly assertive China.

Albanese said the rare earths deal would lead to $8.5 billion in critical minerals projects in Australia and take relations to the “next level.”

The Australian premier has touted his country’s abundant critical minerals as a way to loosen China’s grip over global supplies of rare earths, which are vital for tech products.

Australia sits on deposits of lithium, cobalt and

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