Rare earth manufacturing facility to open in Oklahoma

STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt and the president of USA Rare Earth on Thursday announced plans for a $100 million metal and manufacturing facility in Stillwater that’s expected to create more than 100 jobs.

“Currently, the United States, European Union, Japan, and much of the developed world is largely reliant on China for critical rare earth element production,” Thayer Smith, president of USA Rare Earth, said in a statement. “Our goal with this project is to advance U.S. manufacturing capacity.”

Rare earth elements are 17 raw elements used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, mobile electronic devices and military hardware and considered difficult to mine, Smith said.

The project “embodies the energetic, forward-thinking mentality of our state,” Stitt said. “The USA Rare Earth project will help our state remain a leader in domestic energy production, further diversifying our economy while reducing U.S. dependence on foreign imports.”

USA Rare Earth works to create a “critical mineral supply chain supporting the ongoing green revolution with no dependence on China,” according to the company’s statement.