Apple Backs US Rare Earth Recycling with $500M Investment
Notably, Apple has announced a $500 million multi year commitment to purchase American-made rare earth magnets from MP Materials. Additionally, the deal includes joint development of recycling and processing facilities, strengthening domestic supply and sustainability efforts. Specifically, these facilities located in Fort Worth, Texas, and Mountain Pass, California will manufacture next-gen neodymium magnets and process recycled materials by 2027. Ultimately, this strategic partnership underscores Apple’s effort to reduce dependency on foreign suppliers like China while bolstering U.S. manufacturing and eco friendly material practices . Energy Connects
Deal Highlights
- Magnet manufacturing lines in Texas: MP’s Fort Worth Independence plant will house dedicated neodymium magnet production lines tailored for Apple devices .
- Recycling facility in California: A new line at Mountain Pass will process magnets from used electronics and industrial scrap .
- Note on timeline: Magnet deliveries to Apple are scheduled to begin in 2027, aligning with factory scaling .
Strategic Goals
- Reduce reliance on China: China governs 70 90% of rare-earth mining and processing; Apple aims to diversify and secure supply .
- Support circular materials: In fact, nearly all recent Apple devices now incorporate recycled rare‑earth elements. Consequently, this initiative further deepens and strengthens that circularity ecosystem.
- Job creation & training: Not only will new U.S. facilities create advanced manufacturing jobs, but they will also cultivate a trained workforce.
- To further strengthen the U.S. industrial base, the investment complements existing efforts for example, the Pentagon’s $400 million initiative to ensure supply chain resilience.
Why Rare Earth Elements Matter
Rare earth elements REEs are a set of seventeen metallic elements vital for manufacturing various high tech products. You’ll find them in smartphones, electric vehicles, wind turbines, and defense systems. Securing a stable supply of these materials is crucial for U.S. economic and national security.
MP Materials: A Key Player
MP Materials operates the Mountain Pass mine in California, which is the only active rare earth mine in the United States. The company is working to establish a fully integrated domestic supply chain, from mining and processing to manufacturing finished magnets. Apple’s investment will support MP Materials in expanding its recycling capabilities and reducing reliance on foreign sources. Learn more about the company’s vision and operations at the MP Materials website.
Apple’s Commitment to Sustainability
Notably, Apple is increasingly focusing on sustainability and reducing its environmental impact. This investment in MP Materials aligns with Apple’s goals of using recycled and responsibly sourced materials. Furthermore, the deal supports new recycling and processing facilities in Texas and California bolstering both domestic supply and eco friendly production. Ultimately, this move fits within Apple’s broader sustainability strategy, which includes using recycled rare earth elements in iPhones since 2019, and underscores its commitment to greener, reliable supply chains.
Boosting Domestic Supply Chains
Notably, by investing in MP Materials, Apple is directly helping to build a more resilient and sustainable U.S. supply chain for rare‑earth elements furthermore, this effort reduces dependency on foreign suppliers, particularly China. This move directly addresses growing national security concerns amid China’s rare earth export restrictions (). Moreover, the U.S. government has backed this shift through measures like the Pentagon’s $400 million investment in MP, a guaranteed pricing floor for rare-earths, and competitive USGS grants aimed at developing domestic critical mineral resources (). Ultimately, these efforts highlight a coordinated strategy private and public to secure reliable, domestically sourced critical minerals.
