I think financing is a lesser concern. They fire this mine up...

I think financing is a lesser concern. They fire this mine up every time there is an international SNAFU. WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam. And literally the govt gives them near everything to guarantee secure supply. Heck my grandfather could buy new trucks (you had to get permission from the govt) during WW2 because he was in a critical industry (forestry) too.

So if the US & CHN crack the sads. What's money except something created in the ether of the RBA digital printing press?

Graphite, Rare Earth Magnets, Electrolytic Manganese Metal and Cobalt are all pinch points for the US, as either CHN has a dominant production or has secured near control via off take agreements.

Also a US military aircraft has a half tonne of critical metals (including Tungsten) in it. So with this being near the only CHN free mine in a new Cold War, expect some unusual economics in it's operation