Apple is investing $500 million in a multi-year deal with MP Materials to produce American-made rare earth magnets in Texas. The goal is to enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign supply chains.
The partnership includes building a state-of-the-art recycling facility in California to recover rare earth elements from used electronics and scrap.
MP Materials’ Fort Worth, Texas, facility will be expanded to produce advanced neodymium magnets specifically for Apple devices like iPhones and MacBooks.
Apple announced a $500 million supply chain deal with U.S.-based MP Materials to manufacture rare earth magnets and buildout new production and recycling facilities in Texas and California. The deal, announced July 15, 2025, opens opportunities in construction and manufacturing.
MP Materials produces rare earth magnets through a process that begins with mining and refining rare earth elements in California and continues through to advanced magnet manufacturing at its facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
Rare earth metals are 17 chemically related elements essential to nearly all modern technology, from smartphones and wind turbines to electric vehicles. They require mining, refining, and manufacturing to produce finished components.
MP Materials’ separation pad facility, pictured, performs solvent extraction and product finishing circuits at its Mountain Pass, CA. location. Image: MP Materials
The deal’s manufacturing centerpiece is the expansion of MP Materials’ Independence facility in Fort Worth, Texas. There, state-of-the-art neodymium magnet production lines will be tailored specifically for Apple devices like iPhones and MacBooks.
The effort supports Apple’s push to reshore key materials production and reduce dependency on overseas supply chains for rare earth magnets.
The commercial construction project is expected to create dozens of new jobs in advanced manufacturing and R&D and spur specialized workforce development in rare earth processing.
In a statement, Apple said that the two companies will offer comprehensive training programs to grow the workforce, creating a new generation of U.S. talent in magnet manufacturing.
Neodymium, in the image above, is a magnetic chemical element with the symbol Nd. Shown here in solid state, the mineral must be mined and refined before being used in the technology industry. Image: Shutterstock
Apple and MP Materials will build a rare earth recycling facility in Mountain Pass, California, capable of processing recycled materials from electronics and industrial scrap. Mountain Pass is the home of the MP Materials mine and processing facility.
When complete, the new recycling facility in Mountain Pass will enable MP Materials to take in recycled rare earth material from used electronics and scrap and reprocess it for use in Apple products.
The companies have piloted the recycling tech for five years, and the new plant will make large-scale implementation possible, central to Apple’s strategy of using 100% recycled rare earth elements in its products.
With projects expected in Texas and California, the Apple-MP Materials deal has potential for commercial construction opportunities, from site work and factory infrastructure to lighting, heating, and cooling systems.
The initiative reflects a broader trend of domestic manufacturing investment, creating opportunities for contractors, manufacturers, and trades involved in plant construction, advanced materials, and clean tech integration.
Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement, “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.”
“The collaboration with MP Materials will help secure the 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.”
An aerial image of the MP Materials rare earth mine and processing facility in Mountain Pass, CA. Image: MP Materials
Just last Thursday, MP Materials announced a multibillion-dollar agreement with the U.S. government to increase the production of rare earth magnets. The strategic partnership is designed to reduce the United States’ reliance on China for these critical materials, essential components in manufacturing defense systems.
Apple and MP Materials are developing a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Texas, featuring neodymium magnet production lines engineered exclusively for Apple products. Image: MP Materials
The expansion aligns with Apple’s $500 billion pledge to invest in the U.S. over the next four years. It highlights the role of construction in building the future of domestic tech manufacturing.
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