Australia’s Gina Rinehart puts $133M into defence and rare earth stocks
Synopsis
As governments begin to prioritise military spending and critical mineral supply chains, Hancock Prospecting has loaded them up with defence contractors, gold producers and rare earth firms into its portfolio. New investments in Lockheed Martin, RTX and Northrop Grumman, and rising copper and rare earth exposure, were revealed in regulatory disclosures.
Hancock Prospecting expanded its portfolio with defence, gold and rare earth investments as military spending and critical mineral demand continue increasing globally amid supply chain concerns.
Key Highlights
- Hancock Prospecting is spending approximately $133 million on defence and gold stocks in March.
- New companies added are Lockheed Martin, RTX, Northrop Grumman, CrowdStrike and Newmont.
- SIPRI estimates that worldwide military expenditure totalled $2.44 trillion in 2025.
- MP Materials and Invesco QQQ Trust continue to be Hancock Prospecting's biggest stocks, accounting for 26.1% of its stock portfolio and 21.3% of its debt portfolio, respectively.
Hancock Prospecting is diversifying its investment portfolio, according to new regulatory filings, by adding new positions in defence contractors and critical minerals companies such as Lockheed Martin, RTX, Northrop Grumman and L3Harris Technologies.
The company's investments in defence-related and gold companies totalled approximately $133 million in March, the filings revealed. CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company, and gold miners Newmont were also purchased.
Defence Spending Back in Focus
The investment reallocations are part of increases in defence spending across NATO nations and Indo-Pacific partners amid continuing geopolitical tensions and supply chain worries.
The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute data published in April indicated that the world's military spending had reached a new high point of $2.44 trillion in 2025, with increased expenditure in Europe, Asia and North America.
Rare earth minerals are also increasingly the subject of government and investor interest, as they are applied in missile systems, fighter aircraft, electric vehicles, semiconductors and wind turbines.
Portfolio Reshaped Around Critical Minerals
As of the end of March, Hancock Prospecting's US portfolio was estimated at approximately $3.3 billion. The company also announced that it has a 6.3% interest in Rare Earths Americas as a whole.
About 47% of its holdings were in the Invesco QQQ Trust and rare earth miner MP Materials.
Separate disclosures showed Hancock Prospecting increased its investment in Canadian copper miner Hudbay Minerals by around 10%. Meanwhile, it sold its stake in Chilean Lithium Corp. SQM, although they had been working on Australia's Andover lithium project.
Mining Sector Shifts Toward Strategic Metals
The portfolio adjustments do not just mirror broader investment activity in the mining industry; they also highlight a rise in exposure to copper, lithium and rare earth mining projects related to the transition to a green economy and the defence manufacturing supply chain.
Currently, China holds the vast majority of the global rare earth processing industry, and other nations, such as Australia, Canada and the United States, are still scaling up domestic supply schemes to lessen their reliance on imports.
Under Gina Rinehart's control, Hancock Prospecting is still one of Australia's biggest private mining firms with interests in iron ore, agriculture, energy and critical minerals.
FAQs
Q1. Which defence companies did Hancock Prospecting invest in?
Hancock Prospecting added stakes in Lockheed Martin, RTX, Northrop Grumman, L3Harris Technologies and CrowdStrike through recent portfolio filings.
Q2. Why are rare earth and defence stocks gaining attention?
Rare earth minerals are essential for missile systems, semiconductors, electric vehicles and defence manufacturing supply chains.
Q3. How large is Hancock Prospecting’s investment portfolio?
Regulatory filings showed Hancock Prospecting’s US investment portfolio was valued at about $3.3 billion at the end of March 2026.
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Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
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