China controls more than 90% of global rare earth alloy production, leverage it is using to restrict exports to the U.S.

With a January 1, 2027 deadline approaching, the Pentagon selected four companies to build critical mineral processing facilities on U.S. military bases. Only one was chosen for heavy rare earths - a Nasdaq-listed firm with an Ohio metallurgy facility under Pentagon contracts and rights to 80% of output from a major Canadian processing plant.