If you watched 60 Minutes last night, you saw something that most investors still don’t fully appreciate: the next global resource battle isn’t about oil - it’s about rare earths.
And right now, the United States is playing catch-up in a very serious way.
The segment highlighted MP Materials (MP), which operates the only active rare earth mine in the U.S. at Mountain Pass, California. It’s a remarkable turnaround story. The mine was once a global leader, then went bankrupt and shut down, only to be revived in 2017 by CEO James Litinsky and his team.
Mountain Pass Rare Earth Mine
Today, it sits at the center of one of the most important supply chain battles in the world.
But this isn’t just a story about one company coming back to life. It’s about national security, global competition, and a massive investment opportunity that is still flying under the radar for most investors.
China’s Grip on Rare Earths
The key issue is simple.
China controls more than 90% of the world’s rare earth magnet supply. These materials are essential to everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to wind turbines, AI infrastructure, and advanced defense systems like F-35 fighter jets and missile guidance technology.
In other words, they are foundational to the modern economy - and the U.S. is heavily dependent on a geopolitical rival to supply them.
That dependency is not sustainable, and policymakers know it.
Why MP Materials Sits at the Center of It All
The company isn’t just mining rare earth elements; it is working to rebuild an entire domestic supply chain, including processing and magnet manufacturing - the most valuable and strategically critical parts of the business. This is where China has historically dominated, and where the real bottleneck exists.
MP has already received support from the U.S. government, including reported price guarantees, and is partnering with companies like Apple (AAPL)to develop recycling technologies that could help create a closed-loop supply chain. These are not small developments - they are signals that this industry is being prioritized at the highest levels.
If you’ve been following my work, this should sound very familiar.
I’ve been talking for years about the Electrification of Everything - a megatrend that includes electric vehicles, AI, data centers, and energy infrastructure. What many investors miss is that all of these technologies rely on critical minerals, and rare earths sit right at the center of that ecosystem.
You don’t get electrification without magnets. You don’t get magnets without rare earths. And you don’t get a secure supply without building it domestically or through allied nations.
How to Invest in the Electrification Supply Chain
While MP Materials is the most direct U.S.-based play, it’s not the only way to invest in this trend.
Australian miner, Lynas Rare Earths (LYSDY), remains the largest producer outside of China and plays a key role in diversifying supply.
Texas Mineral Resources (TMRC) is developing one of the largest rare earth deposits in the U.S., while Energy Fuels (UUUU) is expanding into rare earth processing alongside its uranium business.
Iluka Resources (ILKAY) is also building out refining capacity with strong government backing in Australia.
Taken together, these companies represent a broader shift - a global effort to rebuild supply chains that have been concentrated in China for decades.
Bottom Line
Whether you love or despise 60 Minutes, the segment wasn’t just informative - it was a wake-up call. The world is moving rapidly toward electrification, automation, and AI, and all of it depends on materials that are in tight supply and geopolitically sensitive.
This is exactly the kind of setup I look for: a critical resource, a supply-demand imbalance, and a clear catalyst in the form of government support and strategic urgency.
We are still early in this trend. And as awareness grows, I believe capital will follow.
The bottom line is simple: rare earths are no longer a niche story. They are a strategic asset class. And investors who recognize that now will be positioned well ahead of the crowd.
Here’s to the future,
Matt McCall
Founder, NXT Wave Research
