Rare Earth Directory

Policy

Rare earth policy: China export controls, procurement rules and permitting

Rare earth policy is the set of foreign controls, defense purchasing rules, permitting steps and funding programs that decide whether a US mine, plant or magnet factory gets built and sells its output. This section explains nine of them, each with its dates, numbers and sources, and links to the projects they touch.

The next dates are Oct 18, 2026, when a defense source-qualification strategy is due, Nov 10, 2026, when China's suspension ends, and Jan 1, 2027, when the DFARS clause reaches back to the mine.

Verified through Oct 1, 2026

See all nine explainersPolicy calendar

At a glance

Foreign controls
China's export controls
Defense rules
The DFARS 2027 rule
Policy explainers
9Four policies, five government support programs
China suspension ends
Nov 102026, unless extended
DFARS clause takes full effect
Jan 12027
Federal support rows tracked
27Each with a status and source

What are the main policies behind US rare earth projects?

Nine policies matter most: two measures that create the demand for non-Chinese supply (China's export controls and the DFARS 2027 rule), two approval systems (FAST-41 permitting and NRC licensing) and five funding or support programs (the MP Materials deal, the NdPr price floor, Project Vault, DOE funding and government equity stakes).

The nine policy explainers, with what each does and its next dated event
ExplainerTypeWhat it coversNext date or status
China export controlsPolicySeven elements need a Chinese license since Apr 2025; an October 2025 expansion is suspended.Nov 10, 2026: suspension ends
DFARS 2027 rulePolicyFrom Jan 1, 2027 defense contracts bar magnets made from Chinese-mined or Chinese-processed material.Jan 1, 2027: clause takes full effect
FAST-41 permittingPolicyA federal timetable and dashboard for permits; Bear Lodge is covered and Sheep Creek is listed.Mar 2028: Bear Lodge federal permitting scheduled to finish
NRC and Agreement State licensingPolicyWhy thorium and uranium in rare earth ore bring radioactive materials rules, and who enforces them in each state.Apr 30, 2026: Wyoming took over source material from other mineral processing
MP Materials Pentagon dealGovernment supportA $400M stake, a $110/kg NdPr floor, a 10-year 10X offtake and a $150M loan, from the agreements themselves.2028: 10X commissioning
NdPr price floorGovernment supportHow the $110/kg floor pays out each quarter, with a worked example you can change.Dec 31, 2035: agreement term ends
Project VaultGovernment supportAn EXIM-financed critical minerals reserve: who pays, who buys and what is known about rare earths.Sept 23, 2026: first suppliers named
DOE funding awardsGovernment supportEvery Department of Energy rare earth selection and award, and what "selected for negotiation" means.Award negotiations under way
Government equity stakesGovernment supportWhere the US government holds or has agreed to take shares or warrants in critical minerals companies.Closings of Vulcan, ReElement and Commerce items not confirmed

Which policy dates are coming up?

The nearest dates are Oct 18, 2026 for a defense source-qualification strategy, Nov 10, 2026 for the end of China's suspension of its October 2025 controls and Jan 1, 2027 for the full DFARS clause. Dated federal permitting and licensing steps follow into 2028, and the NdPr price floor runs to Dec 31, 2035.

Policy dates, soonest first
  1. Oct 18, 2026 Source qualification strategy due Next Executive Order 14415 gives the Secretary of War 90 days to develop a strategy to speed up testing and qualification of new sources and materials.
  2. Nov 10, 2026 China's suspension of six October 2025 announcements ends Next The one-year pause set by MOFCOM Announcement No. 70. The sources checked report no extension.
  3. Nov 27, 2026 China's separate US-focused suspension ends Next Article 2 of Announcement No. 46, paused by Announcement No. 72.
  4. Jan 1, 2027 DFARS 252.225-7052 takes full effect Next Defense contracts bar covered magnets and metals mined, refined, separated, melted or produced in China, Russia, Iran or North Korea; waivers need a mitigation plan.
  5. Jan 16, 2027 Supply chain mapping policy and remedies list due Next Within 180 days of Executive Order 14415.
  6. Apr 16, 2027 Implementing regulations for mapping due Next Within 90 days of finishing the guidance, if it is finished on time.
  7. Dec 18, 2027 Gallium and germanium become covered materials Next The statute's later additions to 10 U.S.C. 4872.
  8. Mar 2028 Bear Lodge FAST-41 timetable ends Next The scheduled end of federal permitting for the Bull Hill plan of operations; the Forest Service lists a decision in Jul 2028.
  9. Dec 31, 2035 NdPr price floor ends Next The end of the 10-year Price Protection Agreement with MP Materials.

How do these policies fit together?

China's export controls raise the value of non-Chinese supply. The US government answers with demand rules and offtakes, funding and equity, and a reserve. A project must also clear federal permitting and, where thorium or uranium is present, radioactive materials licensing before it can sell anything.

How the nine policies relate

The pressure

What the US government adds

What a project must clear

Every policy is explained from primary sources where they exist, and the directory labels company claims and press-only figures.

Which other US policies affect rare earths?

Two more measures are tracked without a page of their own: the Jan 2026 executive order on imports of processed critical minerals and their derivative products, and a Jul 2026 presidential determination delegating Defense Production Act authority to restrict exports of recoverable critical minerals and materials. Both are named in the White House fact sheet of Aug 7, 2026.

The same fact sheet says the administration has signed or approved 160 minerals deals worth almost $40B since Jan 2025. That is the White House's count and is not the same as the federal support rows tracked here, which cover named rare earth companies.

Where should I start?

Start with the government support tracker for the money, China's export controls for the pressure behind it and the DFARS rule for the nearest hard deadline. The company and mine pages carry the project detail.

Questions about rare earth policy

What is rare earth policy?

It is the foreign controls, defense purchasing rules, permitting steps and funding programs that shape the US rare earth industry. This directory explains nine of them: China's export controls, the DFARS 2027 rule, FAST-41, NRC licensing and five government support programs.

Which policy has the nearest deadline?

Executive Order 14415 requires a source-qualification strategy by Oct 18, 2026. China's suspension of its October 2025 controls ends Nov 10, 2026, and the DFARS clause reaches back to the mine on Jan 1, 2027.

Is a policy the same as funding?

No. A permitting program such as FAST-41 or a sourcing rule such as DFARS sets process and demand without paying anyone. The government support tracker lists only money, loans, equity, tax credits and purchase commitments, each with a status.

Where can I see which companies the government has invested in?

On the government support tracker, which lists every federal row with its agency, instrument, amount, date and status, and on the government equity stakes explainer for shares and warrants.

How often are the policy pages checked?

Each page shows the date it was verified, and the updates log records every change. The directory re-verifies pages every quarter and scans weekly for new events.

Sources and verification

Each profile lists its sources, a confidence grade and a verification date. Order of authority: official records (SEC filings, agency documents), company documents and technical reports, research papers, then independent press. Syndicated copies and reference works are labeled and are never the only source for a number. Company-reported figures are labeled as such, and non-binding deals are labeled "letter of intent" or "conditional".

Tags show what kind of source each link is. How sources are ranked