The MP Materials mine in Mountain Pass, Calif., in 2024. MP Materials via AP
Following China’s move to restrict exports of key rare-earth elements in April, the United States is accelerating its push for rare-earth magnet independence. A new public–private partnership between the Department of Defense and MP Materials is expected to move the country significantly toward that goal.
On July 10, MP Materials Corp., the largest domestic rare-earth producer, announced a “transformational” partnership with the Department of Defense (DOD) to “drastically” build out the nation’s rare-earth magnet supply chain.
