US faces new pressure to build weapons without China's rare earth magnets

The U.S. is under pressure to develop domestic rare earth mineral processing to reduce reliance on China, with Phoenix Tailings in New Hampshire working to extract critical elements from mining waste and recycled materials. The Pentagon has approved a $500 million loan to expand the company's capacity, as defense systems like Tomahawk missiles and F-35 jets require these minerals, and stricter sourcing rules aim to exclude Chinese components.