US, Abu Dhabi join $1.8-billion critical minerals fund

NEW YORK, October 24, 2025 – The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) and Abu Dhabi sovereign investment fund ADQ have joined the newly formed Orion Critical Mineral Consortium (Orion CMC) for investments in critical mineral resources and supply chains, the parties announced on Thursday.

The formation of Orion CMC was announced on Thursday by Orion Resource Partners, a global investment firm specialising in metals and minerals. The DFC and funds managed by Orion and ADQ have made initial capital commitments to bring the size of Orion CMC to USD 1.8 billion.

Orion CMC will invest the funds in critical minerals projects in emerging markets globally, developing processing capabilities, integrating technologies and managing market offtake. Orion CMC will prioritise investments in operational projects and projects nearing production phases, and avoid exploration ventures with longer development timelines.

The investment by the DFC is a response to the rising demand for minerals used as inputs for semiconductors, digital infrastructure and energy applications, as well as other strategic areas.

“Orion CMC represents a significant step forward in bridging the substantial funding gap needed to accelerate investment in the critical minerals supply chain. 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,” said Oskar Lewnowski, founder and CEO of Orion Resource Partners.

The consortium is aiming to grow its investment base to USD 5 billion with additional capital contributions from international investors and partner nations. The launch of Orion CMC follows that of Orion Abu Dhabi in January 2025, a USD 1.2-billion joint venture with ADQ to invest in metals and mining companies and to secure offtake of strategic materials.

Photo by Ivan Bandura

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