The United States and Australia this week closed a deal to cooperate in the development of a local critical mineral supply. The deal, worth more than $3 billion, according to the White House, could open up access to resources worth $53 billion or more. Theoretically, but it’s a good start. Critical minerals first came to the fore as a hot issue during the Biden administration, which realized the U.S. was uncomfortably dependent on China for its supply, which was vital for advancing the energy transition agenda. Yet critical minerals are not…