MP Materials has taken a significant step towards restoring the United States' rare earth magnet supply chain with the commencement of commercial production of neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) metal and trial production of automotive-grade, sintered neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets at its Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas.

This achievement marks a major milestone for the US in regaining independence in a critical sector. NdFeB magnets are essential components in a wide range of products, including vehicles, drones, robotics, electronics, and aerospace and defense systems. Despite their importance, the US has relied heavily on foreign sources for these magnets for decades.

MP Materials Filling the Gap

MP Materials is addressing this issue by building the first fully integrated rare earth metal, alloy, and magnet manufacturing facility in the United States. With commercial NdPr metal production now underway and trial production of sintered magnets in progress, the Independence facility is positioned to become a major producer of NdFeB magnets.

The facility is expected to produce approximately 1,000 metric tons of finished NdFeB magnets per year, with production gradually ramping up later in 2025. These magnets will be supplied to General Motors and other manufacturers, with raw materials sourced from MP Materials' Mountain Pass mine and processing facility in California.

“This milestone marks a major step forward in restoring a fully integrated rare earth magnet supply chain in the United States,” said James Litinsky, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of MP Materials. “With record-setting upstream and midstream production at Mountain Pass and both metal and magnet production underway at Independence, we have reached a significant turning point for MP and U.S. competitiveness in a vital sector.”

Record-Breaking Production at Mountain Pass

In 2024, MP Materials achieved record-breaking production at Mountain Pass, the only active rare earth mining and processing operation of scale in the US. The facility delivered more than 45,000 metric tons of rare earth oxides (REO) contained in concentrate, setting an all-time high for US primary production.

Mountain Pass also set a midstream production record in 2024, producing approximately 1,300 metric tons of NdPr oxide, along with cerium, lanthanum, and other separated and refined products.

About MP Materials

MP Materials is a company dedicated to producing specialty materials that are crucial for electrification and other advanced technologies. Their Mountain Pass facility is the sole large-scale rare earth production source in America. The company is currently expanding its manufacturing operations downstream to establish a complete supply chain solution, encompassing everything from materials to magnetics.