Molycorp has
secured the permits and funding needed to restart production at a mine
in Mountain Pass, California, that would become the first U.S. source of
rare earth elements in more than a decade. The mine is one of the
world's richest deposits of these elements, which are critical for
making components found in a wide range of technologies. On Tuesday, the
company announced that it will partner with
Hitachi Metals of Japan to turn materials from the mine into high-strength magnets,
which are vital in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and many other
products.