Following its commitment to spend more than $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, Apple has announced a partnership with America’s only fully integrated rare earth producer to buy American-made rare earth magnets.
In a press release, Apple announced that it’s going to buy rare earth magnets developed at MP Materials’ flagship Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas. Apple says it will work with the firm to develop a “cutting-edge rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California.” Once it’s ready, Apple wants to take in recycled rare earth feedstock and reprocess it for use in Apple products.
“American innovation drives everything we do at Apple, and we’re proud to deepen our investment in the U.S. economy,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States. We couldn’t be more excited about the future of American manufacturing, and we will continue to invest in the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of the American people.”
Once Apple and MP Materials “state-of-the-art” Texas factory has been built, Apple will ship American-made magnets across the country and globally, as demand for the material increases. Apple says it will support “dozen of new jobs in advanced manufacturing and R&D” as a result of the partnership.
Apple also plans to provide “extensive training to develop the workforce, building an entirely new pool of U.S. talent and expertise in magnet manufacturing.”
Apple says that “nearly all magnets across Apple devices are made with 100% recycled rare earth elements,” and this partnership with MP Materials will help “secure domestic supply of this critical material, strengthen the U.S. rare earth industry’s capabilities to capture more raw material, and advance environmental progress with innovative recycling methods.”
