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MP Materials has achieved a historic milestone in reestablishing the U.S. rare earth magnet supply chain. The company’s Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas, has begun commercial production of neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) metal and is conducting trial production of automotive-grade, sintered neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets. This marks a critical step toward building a fully integrated domestic supply chain for rare earth magnets for the first time in decades.
Key Highlights:
- NdFeB magnets are crucial for industries like automotive, robotics, aerospace, and defense.
- MP Materials’ Independence facility aims to produce 1,000 metric tons of finished magnets annually by late 2025.
- The facility sources raw materials from Mountain Pass, America’s sole active large-scale rare earth mine.
- In 2024, Mountain Pass set U.S. records for rare earth oxide (REO) and NdPr oxide production, delivering over 45,000 metric tons of REO in concentrate.
- General Motors and other manufacturers will be among the recipients of these U.S.-produced magnets.
MP Materials’ efforts are addressing a longstanding dependency on foreign sources for rare earth components. CEO James Litinsky highlighted this milestone as a pivotal advancement for both MP Materials and U.S. competitiveness, particularly as global demand for these critical materials intensifies.
With trial production of magnets underway and a gradual ramp-up in output expected by late 2025, the Independence facility is set to become a cornerstone of the U.S. supply chain for advanced technologies. This achievement underscores MP Materials’ leadership in revitalizing American manufacturing capabilities in this vital sector.
For more information, visit MP Materials’ website.
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