Technological leader Apple is officially set to invest $500 million into American rare earth production company MP Materials, aiming to fortify the domestic supply chain for the rare earth elements frequently used in consumer electronics and many clean energy devices.
According to the Apple release, as a byproduct of their newly established partnership, MP Materials' Texas facility will design and develop a neodymium magnet line specifically intended for and tailored to Apple products. In addition, Apple and MP Materials will work to install an innovative rare earth recycling facility in Mountain Pass, California, at which rare earth magnets from old electronics can be scrapped and recycled into new Apple products.
"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," explained Apple CEO Tim Cook in the release.
Rare earth elements can be found in everything from the screen of your smartphone to the battery of an electric vehicle. Unfortunately, the extraction of these minerals through rigorous mining can take its toll on the earth, harming underground ecosystems and potentially even contaminating groundwater.
While the upcoming recycling facility doesn't void the need for mining altogether — after all, demand for cutting-edge electronics is only rising in our digital age — the ability to reuse recycled rare earth feedstock can offset some of the demand.
The option to recycle end-of-life devices will also help keep these old electronics and their contaminants out of our already overflowing landfills, safeguarding our planet's health in the long run.
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Per TechCrunch, Apple and MP Materials will also be collaborating to improve the performance of the rare earth magnets in question. This means that, hopefully, Apple consumers will get more bang for their buck.
"We couldn't be more excited about the future of American manufacturing," Cook continued in the release. "And we will continue to invest in the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of the American people."
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