Pakistan on Monday signed $500 million investment deals with two US-based companies. The deals are meant to develop and process critical minerals including rare earth elements, and to expand logistics infrastructure.
According to a statement issued from the Prime Minister’s Office, the agreements were signed during a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a high-level US delegation that included United States Strategic Metals (USSM) and Mota-Engil, global firms in the mining and infrastructure sectors.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir and several federal ministers also attended the meeting.
A high level delegation of renowned companies in the mining and infrastructure sector meets Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif. pic.twitter.com/dZRM146MrO
— Government of Pakistan (@GovtofPakistan) September 8, 2025
The Frontier Works Organization (FWO), Pakistan’s largest miner of critical minerals, signed an MoU with USSM, a Missouri-based processor and recycler of rare metals. The agreement creates a framework for collaboration in minerals vital for the defence, aerospace and technology industries.
Separately, Pakistan’s National Logistics Corporation signed MoU with Mota-Engil Group, a Portuguese construction and engineering firm, to cooperate on infrastructure projects.
Under the deal, cooperation will begin with exports of antimony, copper, gold, tungsten and rare earth elements from Pakistan. “The agreement also lays the groundwork for a proposed USSM poly-metallic refinery in Pakistan to produce intermediate and finished products for the US market,” it said.
“This collaboration further strengthens the enduring bilateral relationship between Pakistan and the US, while unlocking new opportunities for sustainable growth, technology transfer and job creation,” the statement said.
Next steps under the MoU include forming teams to assess Pakistan’s resource base, identify critical minerals for export and build a long-term partnership in exploration, extraction and processing. The cooperation will prioritise sustainability, profitability and environmental responsibility to ensure benefits for both nations.
“It was agreed to explore financing and digital solutions, including tokenisation of minerals, to attract global investors and increase transparency in the sector,” the statement added.
The US delegation also held meetings with the army chief, the petroleum minister and the commerce minister, and was briefed on Pakistan’s mineral reserves. The companies expressed readiness to invest in value-addition facilities, expand processing capacity and develop large-scale projects linked to mining.
Excited to see U.S. companies like USSM deepening economic ties with Pakistan! USSM’s visit to Islamabad marks an important milestone as they sign an MOU to collaborate on critical minerals production. A forward-looking partnership with great potential for both nations. -NB…
— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) September 8, 2025
US Chargé d’Affaires Natalie Baker said the agreement reflected the depth of ties between the two nations. “This signing is yet another example of the strength of the US-Pakistan bilateral relationship that will benefit both countries,” she said.
Baker said Washington placed high priority on such agreements. “The Trump administration has made the forging of such deals a key priority given the importance of critical mineral resources to American security and prosperity,” she said. “We look forward to seeing future agreements between US companies and their counterparts in the critical minerals and mining sector in Pakistan.”
In the second term of Donald Trump’s presidency, US-Pakistan relations have taken a new turn, particularly after the conflict with India. In late July, the United States struck a trade deal with Pakistan. Trump said the agreement included joint development of the country’s ‘massive’ oil reserves.
"We have just concluded a deal with Pakistan, whereby Pakistan and the United States will work together on developing their massive Oil Reserves," Trump wrote in post on his social media platform of 'Truth Social'.
"We are in the process of choosing the oil company that will lead this partnership. Who knows, maybe they'll be selling oil to India some day!" the US president wrote in his post, without giving additional details of the deal.
Read More: Pakistan, US seal trade deal
PM Shehbaz also expressed his gratitude to President Donald Trump for his role in finalising a ‘historic’ trade agreement between Pakistan and the United States.
“I wish to convey my profound thanks to President Trump for his leadership role in finalisation of the historic US-Pakistan trade agreement, successfully concluded by our two sides in Washington, last night,” the prime minister wrote on his X timeline.
Earlier in June, COAS Asim Munir also held a one-on-one meeting with the US president. Trump said it was an honour to meet Field Marshal Munir during a luncheon held at the White House.
Speaking to the media after the event, Trump extended his gratitude to Pakistan's military chief for visiting and acknowledged the army chief’s role in helping avert further military escalation with India.
“It is an honour for me to meet Asim Munir,” Trump said. “I invited him to thank him for not going to war. He deserves appreciation for helping secure the ceasefire. Pakistan and India are both nuclear powers. We’re in talks with Pakistan on a trade agreement. The leadership of both nations is truly remarkable,” he added.
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