Trump's Scandium Gamble: A New Chapter in Australia US Relations? Donald Trump's endorsement of an Australian mining explorer has sent shockwaves through the global mining industry and beyond.
The US President's support for Sunrise Energy Metals' Syerston Scandium Project in New South Wales is a $560 million loan to a struggling company with far reaching implications for both countries.
At first glance, the deal appears to be state backed corporate welfare. However, Robert Friedland, the billionaire financier behind Sunrise, has a complex history.