OD6 Metals (ASX:OD6) has announced the appointment of the Honourable Julie Bishop and her advisory firm, Julie Bishop & Partners (JBP) as strategic advisor, driving the advancement of the Splinter Rock Rare Earth Project in Western Australia and the newly acquired Quinn Fluorspar Project in Nevada, US.
JBP is an advisory firm providing bespoke geopolitical, government engagement, and international relationship advisory work across Australia, the US, and other allied nations.
The Hon. Julie Bishop brings several decades of regulatory experience having served as Australia’s 38th Minister for Foreign Affairs between 2013 to 2018 and as Deputy Leader of the Federal Liberal Party for 11 years.
Within her role as Foreign Minister, Bishop drove Australia’s global diplomatic network, strengthening strategic and economic relationships with other global powers.
OD6 sees the recent acquisition of the Quinn Project in Nevada as an opportunity to meet the growing demand for critical minerals in the US.
No mining of fluorspar has been done in the US since the 1990s and the country is fully dependent on imports at the moment.
US President Trump has added fluorspar to the US Critical Minerals List due to its role in defence, advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, semiconductor production, nuclear and renewable energy, and electrification.
Initiatives such as the ‘FAST-41’ permitting pathway and the new ‘Project Vault’ stockpile, as recently reported, are focused on advancing critical minerals projects to develop domestic supply and supply chains.
OD6 sees the potential for access to federal or state loan programs, strategic offtake, and permitting prioritisation for the Quinn Project.
The appointment of the Hon. Julie Bishop and JBP will provide the company with diplomatic and government experience to navigate the optimal path within the US regulatory framework.
The current demand for fluorspar in the US is around 400,000 tonnes per annum, with global demand at around eight million tonnes per annum.
Australia’s $1.2 billion Critical Minerals Strategic Reserve, announced 24 April 2025, signals the Federal Government’s commitment to supply chain security as well.
OD6 highlights the Splinter Rock Project as an opportunity to contribute to Australia and allied nations’ rare earth supply resilience.
The Hon. Julie Bishop says that critical minerals are key at the moment for supply chain, economic, and defense capability and security.
“OD6 Metals is developing assets at a time when trusted jurisdictions such as Australia and the United States are actively seeking to diversify supply chains away from concentrated sources and strengthen domestic processing capability,” Bishop says.
“The Splinter Rock Project presents an opportunity to contribute to allied rare earth supply resilience, while the Quinn Fluorspar Project in Nevada has potential strategic relevance to US industrial and defense supply chains.
“Strong partnerships between government and industry will be essential to unlocking the next generation of secure and sustainable critical minerals supply.”
OD6 Managing Director Brett Hazelden says that the company is “delighted” to welcome the Hon. Julie Bishop to the team.
“Julie’s deep understanding of US government institutions, international diplomacy, and strategic negotiation will be enormously valuable as we position both projects within broader trans-Pacific critical minerals strategies,” Hazelden says.
“Julie’s unparalleled experience in global diplomacy and government engagement, combined with the operational depth of the JBP advisory team, will significantly enhance OD6’s ability to position Splinter Rock and Quinn as projects of national and allied strategic importance.”
OD6 Metals is an Australian company focused on exploration and development opportunities in critical minerals in both Australia and the US.
Write to Amy Rotman at Mining.com.au
Images: OD6 Metals
