# US drive for domestic scandium supply > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-drive-for-domestic-scandium-supply > Updated: 2026-08-10T09:30:00.000Z. Sources: 22. Developments: 4. In early August 2026, Lockheed Martin began negotiating with U.S. and Canadian firms to secure scandium and germanium for defense applications, a move driven by President Donald Trump's executive order aimed at cutting reliance on Chinese critical minerals. The company reached a preliminary agreement with NioCorp to obtain about 15 metric tons of scandium annually, enough to cover roughly a quarter of global demand, with production slated to start at NioCorp’s Nebraska mine in 2028. A few days later, the U.S. Department of Defense announced a more than $560 million loan to Australia's Sunrise Energy Metals for the Syerston Scandium Project. The funding, tied to a critical-minerals agreement between President Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, is intended to expand scandium output and create a U.S.-aligned supply chain from mine to finished metal. Sunrise already secured a contract with Lockheed Martin for up to 15 tonnes of scandium oxide over five years. On August 10, Sunrise Energy Metals confirmed it had secured a conditional commitment for up to $400 million in debt financing from the U.S. Department of Defense's Office of Strategic Capital (OSC). This 25-year debt facility is intended to fund the development of the Syerston project in New South Wales, which is positioned to become the world's first primary scandium mine. Following the announcement, Sunrise Energy Metals' shares rose by as much as 29% on the Australian Securities Exchange. The company is also preparing for a potential listing on a U.S. securities exchange to access broader capital markets. Later on August 10, the U.S. government expanded its critical mineral strategy, committing over $2 billion to bolster domestic and allied supply chains. ## Claims - The OSC has provided a conditional commitment for up to $400 million in debt financing to Sunrise Energy Metals. (corroborated by 10 sources) - The funding is intended to develop the Syerston Scandium Project located in New South Wales, Australia. (corroborated by 9 sources) - The Syerston project aims to become the world's first dedicated primary scandium extraction facility. (corroborated by 7 sources) - The debt financing is structured as a 25-year facility with phased drawdowns tied to specific milestones. (corroborated by 5 sources) - Sunrise has a contract to sell 25% of the mine's scandium production to Lockheed Martin for the first five years of operation. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The U.S. government will receive a right of first offer on the scandium production from the Syerston project. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Sunrise Energy Metals shares rose as much as 29% on the Australian Securities Exchange following the announcement. (corroborated by 4 sources) - Foreign competitors account for approximately 80% of global scandium production and nearly 100% of processing. (corroborated by 3 sources) - Sunrise Energy Metals has begun preparations for a potential listing on a U.S. securities exchange. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The US and Australia signed a critical minerals agreement in October, with each pledging $1 billion in investments. (corroborated by 2 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-10: US government commits $2 billion to critical mineral supply chains The US government has committed over $2 billion in loans and equity to secure domestic battery and critical mineral supply chains, including a $400 million loan to Australia's Sunrise Energy Metals. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-government-commits-2-billion-to-critical-mineral-supply-chains ### 2026-08-10: Sunrise Energy Metals secures $400M US funding for Australian scandium project Sunrise Energy Metals secured a conditional $400 million U.S. debt commitment to develop Australia's Syerston Scandium Project, aiming to create a Western supply chain for critical defense minerals. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/sunrise-energy-metals-secures-us400-million-for-australian-scandium-project ### 2026-08-07: US announces $400M loan for Australian scandium mine The U.S. Department of Defense is providing a $400 million conditional loan to Sunrise Energy Metals to build the world's first primary scandium mine in Australia, aiming to secure critical mineral supplies. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pentagon-invests-560-million-in-australian-scandium-mine ### 2026-08-04: Lockheed Martin negotiates US scandium and germanium deals amid Trump push Lockheed Martin is negotiating U.S. scandium from NioCorp and germanium from Teck and 5N Plus as Trump pushes defense firms to cut Chinese mineral reliance, with a preliminary 15‑ton per year scandium deal. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lockheed-martin-negotiates-us-scandium-and-germanium-deals-amid-trump-push --- Cite as: US drive for domestic scandium supply. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-drive-for-domestic-scandium-supply