Colombia and the United States have agreed to expand cooperation on critical minerals, including rare earths, tungsten and antimony, as Washington seeks alternatives to Chinese-controlled supplies, OilPrice.com reports. The framework aims to accelerate mining developments, identify workable deposits and attract investment, potentially opening a larger export market for Colombia’s largely undeveloped mineral resources.
The agreement covers geological mapping, access to advanced mining technology and simpler permitting procedures for new projects. It also addresses recycling, pricing and measures intended to strengthen supply chains and counter anti-market practices. According to OilPrice.com, imports account for 91% of US antimony supply, while recycled lead-acid batteries provide about 8%, illustrating the importance of both overseas sourcing and material recovery.
The strategic backdrop is China’s dominance in the extraction and processing of many critical minerals. Beijing imposed restrictions on exports of gallium, germanium and antimony to the United States, before subsequently suspending them. OilPrice.com says that suspension is scheduled to expire on 27 November 2026. Antimony and tungsten have important weapons applications, while other critical minerals support semiconductor manufacturing, advanced electronics and rechargeable batteries.
Among Colombia’s exploration prospects is Collective Mining’s Guayabales project in Caldas department. OilPrice.com reports that the company’s first eight holes in a 30-hole drilling programme at the Apollo system identified a high-grade zone containing tungsten, gold, silver and copper within its upper 150 metres. The outlet describes the discovery as Colombia’s first known hard-rock tungsten deposit, but its potential contribution to exports and government royalties depends on commercial viability.
Royal Road Minerals’ Güíntar-Aleman-Margaritas project, 50 kilometres west of Medellín, offers another possible source of supply. Geological mapping and surface sampling have extended a vein system containing silver, gold, antimony and base metals, supporting further exploration. Successful development could expand Colombia’s existing small antimony export business. OilPrice.com argues that commercially viable projects could broaden the country’s resource revenues beyond its established oil and coal industries while giving Washington additional options for securing strategic minerals.