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Metal Tech News – March 26, 2026
USA Rare Earth is ramping up the first phase of commercial magnet production at its plant in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
In a major step toward establishing a complete mine-to-magnets supply chain in the United States, USA Rare Earth Inc. has commissioned the initial commercial magnet production line at its metals and magnet manufacturing plant in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
“Today’s announcement is a major step in delivering on our ambition to build a global champion and the partner of choice in rare earth elements, oxides, metals, and magnets,” Barbara Humpton said in a March 26 statement.
Recognizing that domestic mining alone would not reduce U.S. reliance on China without downstream processing and manufacturing, USA Rare Earth decided in 2022 to begin at the magnet end of the supply and work its way upstream to developing a mine at its Round Top critical minerals project in Texas.
With this downstream-to-upstream rare earths supply chain strategy, the company purchased a 309,000-square-foot commercial building in Stillwater in 2022 and neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent magnet manufacturing equipment from Hitachi Metals America that had been briefly used in North Carolina about 15 years ago.
Nearly four years after acquiring the facility, the equipment has been installed and successfully commissioned.
This milestone confirms that the complex, multi-step manufacturing process is operating as designed and producing high-grade permanent magnets for applications ranging from aerospace and defense to electric vehicles, energy systems, robotics, and advanced electronics.
USA Rare Earth expects to begin fulfilling customer orders for sintered NdFeB magnets produced at the Oklahoma plant in the coming weeks.
Initial sales are expected to include customers introduced through Arnold Magnetic Technologies, a magnet manufacturer and distributor with more than 130 years of experience.
Under a recently announced agreement, the companies will cross-market products, with USA Rare Earth supplying NdFeB feedstock and finished magnets, and Arnold providing access to its established customer base and complementary magnet portfolio.
“We are producing magnets in Oklahoma and rapidly expanding that capability as part of our integrated global value chain,” Humpton said. “Our work with Arnold strengthens our capabilities by allowing us to meet high-volume demand, while also supporting customers that require tailored, mission-specific solutions.”
With commissioning complete, the company is ramping toward an initial production capacity of 600 metric tons per year by the end of 2026, with plans to double output to 1,200 metric tons annually by early 2027.
The magnets produced at Stillwater are expected to provide Western manufacturers with a domestic alternative to Chinese supply, addressing a critical vulnerability in supply chains essential to technologies ranging from consumer electronics to aircraft carriers.
“As we scale production, we are proud to help reduce reliance on foreign manufacturing while serving industries critical to our nation and its allies,” Humpton said.
With more than 18 years of covering mining, Shane is renowned for his insights and in-depth analysis of mining, mineral exploration, and technology metals.
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