Critics question how $13 billion US–Australia critical minerals deal will benefit WA

Western Australia's slice of the $13 billion US–Australia critical minerals deal is being heralded as a huge win, but critics are questioning how much US aluminium giant Alcoa's boon will benefit Western Australians.

Pennsylvania-based Alcoa and a rare earths project backed by Australia's richest woman, Gina Rinehart, will be the first beneficiaries of the bilateral deal, with a pipeline of other projects also earmarked for funding, including Northern Minerals' WA rare earths project.

Alcoa's funding will go towards developing a gallium refinery in Wagerup, about 120 kilometres south of Perth.

The company has mined among the world's only jarrah forests in WA since the 1960s, and has two expansion proposals before the state's Environment Protection Authority (EPA).

EPA chair Darren Wals