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It’s been a long time since an expensive magnet could proudly wear a “Made in America” sticker, but a massive new investment might just change the game. Apple dropped a bombshell yesterday, July 15, 2025, committing $500 million to MP Materials, the only U.S.-based rare-earth producer, sending shockwaves through the tech world.
The news lit a fire under MP Materials’ stock, which jumped over 20% in a single day, riding the wave of last week’s $400 million boost from the Department of Defense. Since going public in 2020, the company’s stock has rocketed nearly 500%, proving the market’s thirst for this bold move.
Tucked away in Southeast California, just 50 miles south of Las Vegas, Nevada, the Mountain Pass Rare Earth Mine is the heartbeat of this story. Revived by MP Materials in 2017, it stands as the second largest rare-earth mine globally and the sole one humming in the U.S.
Don’t let the name fool you—rare-earth minerals aren’t scarce; they’re a headache to dig up and process, thanks to their environmental toll. Yet, they’re the secret sauce in powerful magnets that power everything from missiles to cars to the iPhones glued to our hands.
Back in the 1980s, the U.S. was riding high with a budding rare-earth industry, but Chinese producers swooped in, dominating the market and now controlling 99% of the world’s heavy rare-earths. They’ve turned these materials into a trade negotiation trump card, leaving the U.S. exposed. That’s where Apple’s investment steps in, funding a “cutting-edge” recycling center at Mountain Pass to turn old electronics into fresh resources, blending sustainability with strategy.
The big picture? The U.S. government has been itching to yank the rare-earth supply chain back home, even if it means magnets cost 50% more than Chinese options, driven by economic and security worries. With the Department of Defense’s $400 million and Apple’s $500 million fueling MP Materials, it’s a united front to reclaim independence.
As trade tensions with China simmer, this isn’t just about magnets—it’s a gritty push to reforge American industrial strength. With Mountain Pass poised to redefine the rare-earth game, MP Materials’ wild rise hints that “Made in America” could soon be back in style, sparking a revolution that’s just getting started.
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