US Firms Boost Efforts to Reduce Dependence on Chinese Minerals

WHO:

AP News - Phoenix Tailings, a company co-founded by Anthony Balladon, is involved in producing critical minerals.

AP News - Arnold Magnetic Technologies, led by CEO Matt Blake, is another company involved in the critical minerals supply chain.

AP News - Brodie Sutherland is the CEO of Patriot Critical Minerals Corp.

AP News - President Donald Trump announced stricter controls on defense contractors sourcing critical materials from China.

WHAT:

AP News - Phoenix Tailings received a $500 million loan from the Pentagon to expand its operations.

AP News - The company plans to scale its production capacity from 200 kilograms (440 pounds) a year to about 5 tons in the next three months, with a goal of reaching 120 tons by 2028.

AP News - The U.S. defense sector requires 50 to 100 tons of samarium each year.

AP News - The Pentagon has imposed a deadline of January 1, 2027, for defense contractors to source critical minerals domestically or from allied nations.

WHERE:

AP News - The Phoenix Tailings refinery is located in Exeter, New Hampshire, and the company is based in Woburn, Massachusetts.

AP News - Arnold Magnetic Technologies is headquartered in Rochester, New York.

AP News - Solvay, a Belgium-headquartered chemical company, is involved in processing rare earths in La Rochelle, France.

WHEN:

AP News - It will take up to a year and a half to build a new factory for Phoenix Tailings.

AP News - The company aims to reach its goal of 120-ton capacity by 2028.

AP News - The Pentagon-imposed deadline for sourcing critical minerals is January 1, 2027.

WHY:

AP News - The urgency to increase production of critical minerals is driven by the ongoing conflict in Iran, which is depleting U.S. military stockpiles of advanced missile interceptors.

AP News - President Trump's executive order aims to ensure that critical materials and components for military equipment are sourced domestically or from allied nations.

HOW:

AP News - Phoenix Tailings uses electrolysis to separate critical minerals from mining waste.

AP News - The company processes waste from traditional mining and recycled materials to extract critical metals needed in defense, aerospace, and automotive industries.

(UPDATED August 3, 2026 20:32 UTC)

Phoenix Tailings, co-founded by Anthony Balladon and based in Woburn, Massachusetts, has secured a $500 million loan from the Pentagon to expand its operations in Exeter, New Hampshire, aiming to boost production capacity from 200 kilograms a year to about 5 tons in the next three months, with a long-term goal of reaching 120 tons by 2028. In response to the ongoing conflict in Iran and the depletion of U.S. military stockpiles, President Trump has announced stricter controls on defense contractors, mandating that they source critical minerals domestically or from allied nations by January 1, 2027. The company utilizes electrolysis to extract essential metals from mining waste, contributing to the supply chain alongside other firms like Arnold Magnetic Technologies, headquartered in Rochester, New York.