US Rare Earth Mines 8-9-25

The only operational rare earth mine in the U.S. is located at Mountain Pass, California. This mine, owned by MP Materials, is situated near the California-Nevada border and extracts a rare earth mineral called bastnaesite. While Mountain Pass produces a rare earth concentrate, much of it is still sent overseas for refining. Recently, a new rare earth mine, Ramaco's Brook Mine, opened in Wyoming, but it's extracting rare earths as a byproduct of coal mining and easier to process. 

Mountain Pass California:

This mine is the only facility in the U.S. that focuses specifically on rare earth mining. It has an open-pit mine and processing facility. The site contains one of the world's richest deposits of rare earth elements. 

.MP Materials:

This company owns and operates the Mountain Pass mine and is also involved in processing and refining rare earth materials. They are working on expanding their capabilities to include advanced metallization and magnet manufacturing. 

Ramaco;s Brook Mine, Wyoming:

This new mine is extracting rare earths as a byproduct of coal mining. While not focused solely on rare earths, it represents a step towards diversifying the U.S. supply chain. 

Supply Chain:

The U.S. currently relies heavily on China for rare earth materials, particularly for refining and manufacturing. Efforts are underway to develop a more complete domestic supply chain, including mining, processing, and manufacturing. 

https://www.google.com/search?q=rare+earths+mine+in+us

Comments

The US should be able to mine, refine and manufacture enough Rare Earth materials to produce chips we need for defense electronics.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody Ga Tea Party Leader