MEDIA RELEASE – Australia-Japan strategic partnership to power critical minerals in NSW
Monday 9 June, 2025
In Tokyo today, Japanese powerhouse JX Advanced Metals Corporation (JX) signed an agreement for a A$20 million investment, with an additional contribution option of A$5 million and a further A$5 million in convertible funding in Australian-owned RZ Resources’ Copi Project in western New South Wales.
The investment is the first part of an anticipated multi-stage commitment, joint venture framework and a long-term partnership between the two organisations.
RZ Resources is an emerging Australian critical minerals company. Pending planning approvals, RZ Resources aims to develop an Australian-based mine-to-processing-to-port supply chain, supporting the goals of Australia’s Critical Minerals Strategy.
By partnering with JX, a company with extensive experience in handling nonferrous metals from mining and processing to manufacturing, RZ Resources seeks to support a secure and diversified critical minerals supply chain for Japan, Australia, the United States and other strategic allied nations.
RZ Resources Founder and Executive Chairman David Fraser said the collaboration between the two companies is a testament to their shared vision for the Copi Project and Australia’s resilience in critical minerals.
“This is more than a financial investment – it is a deep strategic partnership that strengthens our ability to deliver the Copi Project as a globally significant, geopolitically aligned supply of critical minerals. The JX commitment mirrors our ambition to help build secure, long-term supply chains in critical minerals.”
The Copi Project, subject to New South Wales planning approvals, has the potential to produce titanium feedstocks (rutile, leucoxene, ilmenite), premium zircon products (ceramic-grade and concentrates) and rare earth element concentrate, ready for downstream refining.
These minerals are vital for modern and emerging industries, supporting everything from renewable energy and advanced manufacturing to national security.
This, in combination with RZ Resources’ ambition to reactivate its Brisbane Mineral Separation Plant, will provide Australia with sovereign supply chains for its critical minerals, shoring up sovereign control of critical minerals and mitigating any potential global shocks.
Please direct all enquiries to:
Kathryn Conroy
PremierNational
Phone: +61 416 428 678
kc@premiernational.com.au