In alignment with its pledge to invest over $500 billion in the U.S. over the upcoming four years, Apple has revealed a collaboration with America’s sole fully integrated rare earth producer to procure American-made rare earth magnets.
In a news release, Apple disclosed its intention to purchase rare earth magnets produced at MP Materials’ leading Independence facility located in Fort Worth, Texas. The company stated it will collaborate with MP Materials to establish a “state-of-the-art rare earth recycling line in Mountain Pass, California.” Once operational, Apple aims to accept recycled rare earth feedstock and reprocess it for incorporation into its products.
“U.S. innovation propels everything we accomplish at Apple, and we’re delighted to enhance our investment in the American economy,” remarked Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Rare earth materials are crucial for creating advanced technology, and this collaboration will reinforce the supply of these essential materials right here in the United States. We are thrilled about the prospects of American manufacturing, and we will persist in investing in the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of the American workforce.”
Once Apple and MP Materials’ “cutting-edge” Texas facility is completed, Apple will distribute American-made magnets nationwide and internationally as demand for the commodity grows. Apple asserts that it will foster “dozens of new job opportunities in advanced manufacturing and R&D” due to this partnership.
Additionally, Apple intends to offer “comprehensive training to develop the workforce, cultivating a completely new pool of U.S. talent and expertise in magnet manufacturing.”
Apple emphasizes that “almost all magnets in Apple devices are produced with 100% recycled rare earth elements,” and this alliance with MP Materials aims to “secure a domestic supply of this vital material, enhance the U.S. rare earth industry’s capacity to procure more raw material, and promote environmental advancement through innovative recycling techniques.”
