Orion Resource Partners LP (“Orion”), a leading global investment firm specializing in metals and materials, today announces the formation of the Orion Critical Mineral Consortium (“Orion CMC” or the “Consortium”). Orion CMC is a new, mission-driven consortium designed to support the United States and its allied and partner nations to develop secure, responsible, and resilient supply chains for the critical minerals that underpin future economic growth and security.
Led by Orion, and in partnership with the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (“DFC”), the Consortium intends to bring together some of the world’s leading metals and mining investors and operators, creating a multi-billion platform for critical minerals investments.
The DFC has made an initial capital commitment, which has been matched by both funds managed by Orion and ADQ, an active sovereign investor focused on critical infrastructure and global supply chains, bringing the current size of the consortium to $1.8 billion and well on its way to its $5 billion target. Founded in 2019, DFC is the international investment arm of the U.S. government, mobilizing private capital to promote economic growth and advance U.S. foreign policy.
With this cornerstone investment, Orion CMC will engage with mission-aligned investors and partner nations that have expressed their ambition to secure the critical minerals that underpin the modern economy. The Consortium’s combined expertise will invest in and develop critical minerals in emerging and other market jurisdictions, manage offtake, develop domestic processing and integrate and scale cost-effective minerals technological solutions.
Orion CMC will prioritize investments in existing or near-term producing assets as opposed to frontier exploration projects that could take a decade to turn into a mine. By focusing on the near term, the Consortium seeks to answer America’s and its allied and partner nations’ demand in short order while making sound investments over the long term. As a standalone investment platform, Orion CMC serves as a crucial bridge between emerging market nations and global consumers, from advanced manufacturing to data centers and artificial intelligence providers.
The Consortium marks Orion’s next step in securing the supply of strategic metals and critical minerals, following the launch of Orion Abu Dhabi, a joint venture with ADQ announced on 30 January 2025. Together, these partnerships reinforce Orion’s commitment to strengthening critical minerals supply chains through strategic partnerships. The Orion Abu Dhabi announcement is available at PR Newswire.
Oskar Lewnowski, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Orion Resource Partners LP, 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 U.S. 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.”
Frank Fannon, Former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources, and Co-Founder and Managing Partner of Orion CMC, said: “The United States has understood that it must develop alternative critical minerals supply chains for more than a decade. However, America has lacked a private sector champion that understands niche metals and commodities, that has emerging markets experience, and a successful track record of building and operating complex mining operations. Orion CMC is well-positioned to be that champion.”
Ben Black, DFC CEO, said: “Securing critical minerals is a paramount matter of U.S. 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’m 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.”
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/1-8-billion-orion-critical-mineral-consortium-formed-to-strengthen-us-economic-competitiveness-and-national-security-302592595.html