Pakistan, Oct. 6 -- ISLAMABAD - In a landmark development, Pakistan has dispatched its first-ever shipment of rare earth and critical minerals to the United States, marking the operational launch of a $500 million strategic partnership between the two countries.

According to PR Newswire, a Chicago-based public relations firm, the milestone shipment follows an agreement between US Strategic Metals (USSM) and Pakistan's Frontier Works Organization (FWO), signed last month at the Prime Minister's House in Islamabad.

The agreement, witnessed by senior Pakistani and American officials, establishes a framework for joint exploration, beneficiation, and production of mineral concentrates, eventually leading to the setup of refining facilities w...