Rare Earth Directory

Upcoming milestones

Upcoming US rare earth milestones: the next 12 months

The next fixed dates for US rare earths are Oct 18, 2026, when a defense source qualification strategy is due, Nov 10, 2026, when China's suspension of its export controls ends and Jan 1, 2027, when the DFARS clause takes full effect. Between and after them sit 33 company targets, from MP Materials' magnet shipments and the Round Top feasibility study in Q4 2026 to the 2028 plant commissioning dates.

Every entry says how firm its date is: set by a rule or contract, an agency timetable, or a company target that can slip. 3 entries are past their date and not confirmed in the sources checked, and a download adds the 30 that fit a calendar to yours.

Verified through Oct 1, 2026

See the calendar Add to calendar (.ics) Full timeline
Dated milestones ahead
44Through 2035
In the next 12 months
30To Oct 1, 2027
Fixed by a rule or contract
7Do not depend on a company
Company targets
33Can slip
Due, not confirmed
3Window ended; no outcome seen

The calendar

What are the next dated milestones for US rare earth projects and policy?

There are 44 dated milestones ahead, from Oct 18, 2026 to Dec 31, 2035: 7 fixed by a rule or contract, 4 on an agency timetable and 33 company targets. 30 fall in the next 12 months.

Date basis

The rest of 2026 18

  1. Oct 18, 2026

    Defense source qualification strategy due

    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.

    Why it matters: It is the first dated step under the order that restricts DFARS waivers and requires supply chains to be mapped back to the origin of raw materials.

    Fixed date Policy DFARS 2027 rule

    Sources The White House: Executive Order 14415, Securing America's Defense Supply Chains and Ensuring Domestic Acquisition of Critical Materials (Jul 20, 2026)Holland & Knight: President Trump signs executive order on defense supply chains (Jul 30, 2026)

  2. Oct 26, 2026

    Court hears motions to stay the Colosseum injunction

    Judge Christina A. Snyder is set to hear Dateline's motion and the Justice Department's motion to stay the Aug 10, 2026 preliminary injunction against operations at Colosseum while the appeal to the Ninth Circuit goes on.

    Why it matters: The ruling decides whether work in the Mojave National Preserve, including drilling for rare earths, can restart before the appeal is decided. The injunction stops grading, new drilling, habitat bulldozing and road development.

    Fixed date Permits ColosseumDateline Resources

    Sources Dateline ASX announcement: motion to resume operations at Colosseum (Sept 21, 2026; copy)Dateline: DoJ and DoW move to support resumption of operations at Colosseum (Sept 28, 2026; copy)

  3. Oct 2026

    Round Top demonstration run due to end

    USA Rare Earth expects its Wheat Ridge, Colorado demonstration plant to finish a run of at least 2,000 continuous hours. In Jul 2026 it made dysprosium and NdPr oxide samples from Round Top material.

    Why it matters: It is a hydrometallurgical demonstration of the process planned for Round Top (heap leaching, solvent extraction and chromatography), ahead of the definitive feasibility study due in Q4 2026.

    Company target Plants Round TopUSA Rare Earth

    Sources USA Rare Earth Q2 2026 results (SEC)

  4. Nov 10, 2026

    China export-control suspension expires

    China's one-year suspension of six October 2025 announcements ends, including the controls on holmium, erbium, thulium, europium and ytterbium and the rule reaching foreign-made products. The April 2025 controls on seven elements remain in force.

    Why it matters: It decides whether those controls return. The sources checked report no extension, and the White House fact sheet of Sept 25, 2026 does not mention one.

    Fixed date Policy China export controls

    Sources Mining Technology: China rare earth export pause nears expiry (2026)Pillsbury: China suspends export controls on certain critical minerals items (Nov 2025)The White House: fact sheet on the Xi state visit (Sept 25, 2026)

  5. Nov 27, 2026

    China ends its separate US-focused suspension

    The pause on Article 2 of MOFCOM Announcement No. 46, which tightened licensing of some critical minerals for the US, ends under Announcement No. 72.

    Why it matters: Article 1, the ban on dual-use exports to US military users, stays in force.

    Fixed date Policy China export controls

    Sources Pillsbury: China suspends export controls on certain critical minerals items (Nov 2025)Clark Hill: China hits pause on rare earth export controls

  6. Fall 2026

    Brook Mine pilot plant building due

    Ramaco expects to finish the pilot plant building in the fall of 2026. Equipment is being fabricated at a Zeton facility in Canada.

    Why it matters: The pilot tests carbochlorination, the process Ramaco chose for turning coal ore into oxides. Full pilot operations are expected in 2027.

    Company target Plants Brook MineRamaco Resources

    Sources Ramaco Q2 2026 earnings release (SEC)

  7. After summer 2026

    Vulcan Elements Benson workforce training starts

    Workforce training is due to start before the factory launch at the planned Benson, North Carolina campus (company-reported).

    Why it matters: Benson's stated 10,000 t/yr is the largest single-plant magnet figure the directory tracks. No launch date is published.

    Company target Plants Vulcan Elements

    Sources Manufacturing Dive on the Benson plantNorth Carolina Commerce: Vulcan Elements selects Johnston County (Nov 2025)

  8. Dec 2026

    Aclara Vinton plant expected to be construction-ready

    Aclara expects its $277M heavy rare earth separation plant at the Port of Vinton, Louisiana to be construction-ready by the end of 2026.

    Why it matters: EXIM's letter of interest for up to $750M (Sept 2026) is non-binding. The plant would separate heavy rare earths from feed mined in Brazil and Chile.

    Company target Plants Aclara Resources

    Sources Aclara: EXIM letter of interest for up to $750M (Sept 2026)

  9. Dec 2026

    Brook Mine interim revised economics study

    Ramaco expects an interim revised economics study by the end of 2026. A pre-feasibility study and full-scale pilot operations follow in 2027.

    Why it matters: The Jul 2026 Hatch conceptual study gave an NPV of $8B and capital of $3.2B plus contingency, with first production in 2031 (company-reported).

    Company target Studies Brook MineRamaco Resources

    Sources Ramaco Q2 2026 earnings release (SEC)

  10. Dec 2026

    Elk Creek construction start (target)

    NioCorp targets the start of full construction, subject to project financing, with an EXIM application of about $780M to $800M in technical review.

    Why it matters: EXIM has not approved the loan, and NioCorp's annual report warns there is no assurance of a final commitment.

    Company target Plants Elk CreekNioCorp

    Sources NioCorp 10-K for fiscal 2026 (SEC)

  11. Late 2026

    Bear Lodge demonstration plant full operation targeted

    Rare Element Resources targets full operation of its Upton, Wyoming demonstration plant, after a Jun 2026 delay while it changed the equipment that makes the mixed rare earth concentrate.

    Why it matters: The plant is planned to run for 10 to 12 months and make about 10 t of separated NdPr oxide.

    Company target Plants Bear LodgeRare Element Resources

    Sources Metal Tech News: permitting seamless, demo slowed (Jun 2026)

  12. Q4 2026

    Cyclic Materials South Carolina hub groundbreaking

    Cyclic Materials plans to break ground on its South Carolina hub campus.

    Why it matters: The hub is planned to refine recovered material to oxide, a step the Mesa plant does not do.

    Company target Plants Cyclic Materials

    Sources Cyclic Materials: opens the first commercial-scale automated rare earth magnet recovery facility in the US (Sept 2026)Cyclic Materials: USD $75 million strategic growth financing (Business Wire, Aug 27, 2026)

  13. Late 2026

    Halleck Creek Wyoming permit-to-mine filing

    American Rare Earths plans to file the Wyoming permit-to-mine application for the Cowboy State Mine.

    Why it matters: The first phase is on state land, which the company says gives a permitting path of about two years, shorter than a federal project.

    Company target Permits Halleck CreekAmerican Rare Earths

    Sources Mining Weekly: Halleck Creek rare earths project update (Jun 2026)

  14. Q4 2026

    MP Materials magnet shipments and heavy rare earth output

    Commercial magnet shipments from Independence to General Motors are expected in Q4, with dysprosium and terbium output expected later in 2026 (company statements).

    Why it matters: Magnets would move from qualification samples to commercial sales, and Mountain Pass would start separating heavy rare earths from its own ore.

    Company target Plants MP MaterialsMountain Pass

    Sources MP Materials Q2 2026 results

  15. Q4 2026

    Round Top definitive feasibility study

    USA Rare Earth expects the study to complete in Q4 2026, with publication in Q1 2027.

    Why it matters: It is the most detailed study stage and the basis for financing. USA Rare Earth moved first production forward by two years, to H2 2028, in Dec 2025.

    Company target Studies Round TopUSA Rare Earth

    Sources USA Rare Earth Q2 2026 results (SEC)Mining Weekly: USA Rare Earth speeds up Texas project (Dec 2025)

  16. Q4 2026

    Stillwater reaches a 600 t/yr magnet run rate

    USA Rare Earth expects its Stillwater, Oklahoma magnet plant to reach a run rate of 600 t/yr by Q4 2026.

    Why it matters: Phase 1a was commissioned in Mar 2026. The 600 t/yr is the company's own expectation for the first line, not reported output.

    Company target Plants USA Rare Earth

    Sources USA Rare Earth Q2 2026 results (SEC)

  17. H2 2026

    Diamond Creek bulk sampling and mineralogy

    Idaho Strategic Resources plans bulk sampling and mineralogical studies at Diamond Creek.

    Why it matters: In Jul 2026 the company reported heavy rare earth and yttrium-rich zones at four prospects over 3.2 km (company-reported). There is no resource estimate yet.

    Company target Studies Diamond CreekIdaho Strategic Resources

    Sources Skillings: Idaho Strategic reports heavy concentrations at Diamond Creek (Jul 2026)Idaho Strategic: 2025 rare earth exploration plans

  18. 2026

    Solvay oxide deliveries to Noveon due to begin

    Solvay announced a supply agreement for light and heavy rare earth oxides to Noveon Magnetics starting in 2026.

    Why it matters: Oxide supply is what Noveon's San Marcos, Texas plant needs to scale beyond 2,000 t/yr, a company target with no published date.

    Company target Deals Noveon Magnetics

    Sources Noveon and Solvay partnership

2027 15

  1. Jan 1, 2027

    DFARS 252.225-7052 takes full effect

    Defense contracts bar covered magnets and metals that were mined, refined, separated, melted or produced in China, Russia, Iran or North Korea. Waivers need an accepted mitigation plan.

    Why it matters: It is the demand-side date that gives non-Chinese rare earth supply a defense market, and it reaches back to the mining and separation steps.

    Fixed date Policy DFARS 2027 ruleREalloys

    Sources Acquisition.gov: DFARS 252.225-7052, Restriction on the Acquisition of Certain Magnets, Tantalum, and Tungsten (May 2024)Federal Register: DFARS amendments to clause 252.225-7052 (May 30, 2024, 89 FR 46821)

  2. Jan 16, 2027

    Supply chain mapping policy and remedies list due

    Within 180 days of Executive Order 14415 the Secretary of War must issue supply chain mapping policy and guidance, start regulatory action on alternative sources and give the White House a list of remedies for knowing noncompliance.

    Why it matters: The mapping guidance decides how contractors must trace magnets and metals back to the ore.

    Fixed date Policy DFARS 2027 rule

    Sources The White House: Executive Order 14415, Securing America's Defense Supply Chains and Ensuring Domestic Acquisition of Critical Materials (Jul 20, 2026)Pillsbury: White House executive order on defense supply chains and critical materials

  3. Q1 2027

    Energy Fuels expects to close the Vacuumschmelze acquisition

    The deal is worth about $1.9B and is subject to regulatory and stock exchange approvals. The Australian Strategic Materials deal closed on Aug 28, 2026.

    Why it matters: Closing would give Energy Fuels the Sumter, South Carolina magnet plant (about 2,000 t/yr nameplate) and operations at every step from feed to magnet.

    Company target Deals Energy FuelseVAC Magnetics

    Sources Energy Fuels 10-Q for Q2 2026 (SEC)Adamas Intelligence: VAC deal and the $725M Pentagon commitment

  4. Q3 2026 to Q1 2027

    ReElement Marion lines come online in stages

    ReElement Technologies adds capacity at its Marion, Indiana campus in stages as production lines are installed and commissioned.

    Why it matters: Stated targets differ between releases (up to 9,000 t/yr, over 10,000 t/yr and over 16,000 t/yr of products) and no output figure is published.

    Company target Plants ReElement Technologies

    Sources Department of War: $25 million investment with ReElement Technologies (Jul 2026)

  5. Apr 16, 2027

    Implementing regulations for supply chain mapping due

    Regulations are due within 90 days of finishing the mapping guidance, if the guidance is finished on time.

    Why it matters: This date moves with the January guidance, so it is the least firm of the order's dates.

    Agency timetable Policy DFARS 2027 rule

    Sources The White House: Executive Order 14415, Securing America's Defense Supply Chains and Ensuring Domestic Acquisition of Critical Materials (Jul 20, 2026)Clark Hill: Executive Order 14415 and defense supply chain compliance

  6. H1 2027

    Ucore Machine A due for commissioning

    Ucore expects Machine A, the first full RapidSX machine at its Alexandria, Louisiana complex, to be installed, tested and commissioned.

    Why it matters: Machine A is about 600 t/yr within a design of about 9,600 t/yr of rare earth feed. The May 2026 engineering report puts it and the first production line at $135M.

    Company target Plants Ucore Rare Metals

    Sources Ucore: engineering report for the Louisiana Strategic Metals Complex (May 2026)

  7. Jul 2027

    Forest Service decision on the Sheep Creek plan

    The Forest Service estimates a decision on the reduced exploration plan that US Critical Materials filed on Jun 12, 2026.

    Why it matters: Sheep Creek has no resource estimate and no approved plan, so the decision is the next regulatory step.

    Agency timetable Permits Sheep CreekUS Critical Materials

    Sources Forest Service: Sheep Creek Rare Earth Exploration Proposal

  8. Mid-2027

    HyProMag USA Texas commissioning target

    HyProMag USA targets commissioning of its Dallas-Fort Worth magnet recycling and manufacturing hub, subject to final permitting and financing.

    Why it matters: The hub is planned to make about 941 t/yr of recycled sintered magnets. A lease is in place and preparatory work began in Jun 2026.

    Company target Plants HyProMag USA

    Sources Mkango: HyProMag USA to commence preparatory work in Dallas-Fort Worth (Jun 2026)

  9. Mid-2027

    ElementUSA demonstration facility construction starts

    ElementUSA and Louisiana Economic Development expect construction of the demonstration facility at Gramercy, Louisiana to begin in mid-2027.

    Why it matters: It would build the gallium and scandium plant funded by the Department of War's $29.9M award. The rare earth facility that DOE selected for award negotiation has no published date.

    Company target Plants ElementUSA

    Sources Louisiana Economic Development: ElementUSA's $850M investment decision (Dec 15, 2025)

  10. Oct 2027

    Sheep Creek approved work estimated to begin

    The Forest Service estimates that implementation of approved work begins in Oct 2027.

    Why it matters: It depends on the decision above and on how the agency reviews the plan, which reports describe differently.

    Agency timetable Permits Sheep Creek

    Sources Forest Service: Sheep Creek Rare Earth Exploration Proposal

  11. End of 2027

    Aclara Louisiana plant completion targeted

    Aclara targets completion of the Port of Vinton plant by the end of 2027. Feed from Brazil and Chile is expected from about mid-2028 (this directory's research).

    Why it matters: On those dates the plant would be finished before its feed arrives.

    Company target Plants Aclara Resources

    Sources Aclara: EXIM letter of interest for up to $750M (Sept 2026)BIC Magazine: Aclara to build first US heavy rare earths separation

  12. End of 2027

    White Mesa terbium and dysprosium circuits due

    Energy Fuels says the terbium and dysprosium circuits of its heavy rare earth expansion are due by the end of 2027, with commissioning as early as Q4 2027 (10-Q).

    Why it matters: They would add up to about 120 t/yr of dysprosium oxide and 20 t/yr of terbium oxide at White Mesa Mill. Earlier company statements and some summaries gave mid-2027.

    Company target Plants White Mesa MillEnergy Fuels

    Sources Energy Fuels 10-Q for Q2 2026 (SEC)

  13. 2027

    MP Materials magnet shipments to Apple from recycled material

    MP Materials expects shipments to Apple, made from recycled material processed at Mountain Pass, to begin in 2027.

    Why it matters: Apple's $500M agreement (Jul 2025) is for magnets made from recycled material, a feed that US recyclers are only starting to supply.

    Company target Plants MP MaterialsMountain Pass

    Sources MP Materials and Apple announcement (Jul 2025)

  14. 2027

    Brook Mine pre-feasibility study and full-scale pilot

    Ramaco expects a pre-feasibility study and full-scale pilot operations in 2027.

    Why it matters: The pilot comes before refinery construction. Ramaco has no finalized offtake for Brook Mine products.

    Company target Studies Brook MineRamaco Resources

    Sources Ramaco 10-K for 2025 (SEC)

  15. 2027

    Vulcan Elements Benson output and first Ucore oxide

    Vulcan Elements targets significant output at Benson and the first Ucore oxide deliveries in 2027 (company-reported).

    Why it matters: Benson's 10,000 t/yr is a target. Vulcan's Research Triangle Park plant made about 10 t/yr in Oct 2025.

    Company target Plants Vulcan ElementsUcore Rare Metals

    Sources Metal Powder: Vulcan and Ucore supply memorandumMining Weekly on the Benson plant (Nov 2025)

2028 and later 11

  1. Mar 2028

    Bear Lodge federal permitting scheduled to finish

    The FAST-41 timetable for the Bull Hill plan of operations ends in March 2028. The Forest Service lists a decision date of about Jul 2028.

    Why it matters: FAST-41 coverage set this timetable on Mar 20, 2026 and the Forest Service began its review on Jul 29, 2026. A schedule can still move.

    Agency timetable Permits FAST-41 permittingBear LodgeRare Element Resources

    Sources Federal Permitting Council: Bear Lodge FAST-41 coverageForest Service: Bear Lodge Rare Earth Project page

  2. Q3 2028

    ElementUSA initial production

    ElementUSA and Louisiana target initial production from the $850M Gramercy facility in the third quarter of 2028.

    Why it matters: The plan names gallium, scandium and iron first. The sources checked do not say when rare earth output would follow.

    Company target Plants ElementUSA

    Sources Louisiana Economic Development: ElementUSA's $850M investment decision (Dec 15, 2025)

  3. End of 2028

    White Mesa samarium, europium and gadolinium circuits

    Energy Fuels says the samarium, europium and gadolinium circuits of the heavy rare earth expansion are due by the end of 2028, depending on market needs (10-Q).

    Why it matters: Samarium is the rare earth used in samarium cobalt magnets. MP Materials also plans first samarium production in 2028.

    Company target Plants White Mesa MillEnergy Fuels

    Sources Energy Fuels 10-Q for Q2 2026 (SEC)

  4. H2 2028

    Round Top first commercial production target

    USA Rare Earth targets first commercial production at Round Top in the second half of 2028.

    Why it matters: The target moved forward by two years in Dec 2025. No third-party offtake for Round Top oxide has been published.

    Company target Plants Round TopUSA Rare Earth

    Sources Mining Weekly: USA Rare Earth speeds up Texas project (Dec 2025)

  5. 2028

    MP Materials 10X commissioning and first samarium

    MP Materials expects the 10X campus in Northlake, Texas to begin commissioning and plans first samarium production.

    Why it matters: Under the Pentagon offtake, the 10-year term runs from the first day 10X can make magnets. 10X is stated at about 7,000 t/yr.

    Company target Plants MP Materials Pentagon dealMP MaterialsMountain Pass

    Sources MP Materials Q2 2026 resultsCommunity Impact on the 10X campus in Northlake (Feb 2026)

  6. 2028

    Phoenix Tailings Freedom Facility initial operations target

    Phoenix Tailings targets initial operations at its planned Freedom Facility in 2028.

    Why it matters: The roughly $1B plan rests on a conditional $500M Office of Strategic Capital commitment (Jun 16, 2026). No site is named.

    Company target Plants Phoenix Tailings

    Sources Phoenix Tailings: about $1B initiative to rebuild the US rare earth industrial base (GlobeNewswire, Jun 16, 2026)

  7. 2028

    USA Rare Earth Blacksburg commissioning target

    USA Rare Earth targets commissioning of its Blacksburg, South Carolina campus, which broke ground on Sept 9, 2026.

    Why it matters: The campus is planned for 6,400 t/yr of magnets and 5,000 t/yr of metal and alloy.

    Company target Plants USA Rare Earth

    Sources Fox Carolina on the Blacksburg groundbreaking (Sept 2026)USA Rare Earth Q2 2026 results (SEC)

  8. By mid-2029

    White Mesa Phase 2 expected to be complete

    Energy Fuels expects to complete the stand-alone Phase 2 circuit by mid-2029, subject to licensing, financing, feed and a final investment decision (10-Q).

    Why it matters: Phase 2 would lift White Mesa's NdPr capacity from 850 to 1,000 t/yr to over 6,000 t/yr for about $410M (study, Jan 2026). A Utah license amendment is pending.

    Company target Plants White Mesa MillEnergy Fuels

    Sources Energy Fuels 10-Q for Q2 2026 (SEC)Utah DEQ: Radioactive Materials License UT1900479, White Mesa Mill

  9. About 2029

    Halleck Creek production target

    American Rare Earths has talked of starting production around 2029 (company target).

    Why it matters: It depends on the pre-feasibility study, the permit and financing, none of which is complete.

    Company target Plants Halleck CreekAmerican Rare Earths

    Sources Mining.com: American Rare Earths eyes 2029 production (PDAC)

  10. 2031

    Brook Mine initial production target

    Ramaco targets initial production in 2031 (Hatch conceptual study, Jul 2026).

    Why it matters: Fluor's 2025 preliminary assessment had targeted commercial output in the second half of 2028 (company-reported).

    Company target Plants Brook MineRamaco Resources

    Sources Ramaco 10-K for 2025 (SEC)

  11. Dec 31, 2035

    NdPr price floor ends

    The 10-year Price Protection Agreement with MP Materials ends on Dec 31, 2035.

    Why it matters: It sets a $110/kg NdPr floor against MP Materials' own realized price.

    Fixed date Policy NdPr price floorMP Materials

    Sources MP Materials: Price Protection Agreement with the Department of Defense, Exhibit 10.6 to the Form 8-K (Jul 2025, SEC)MP Materials: 10-K for 2025 (SEC)

Dates are as of Oct 1, 2026. A quarter, half year or year is shown as the company states it. The date basis tells you how far to trust a date; it is not a forecast. A script marks any entry whose date has passed since then and changes nothing else.

Data CSV JSON Calendar (.ics) Free to use with a link back to this page.

Which scheduled US rare earth milestones are past their date and not confirmed?

3 milestones passed their date by Oct 1, 2026 without a confirmation in the sources checked: Cyclic Materials first commercial shipments from Mesa (due Late Sept 2026); Halleck Creek pre-feasibility study (due Q3 2026); MP Materials NdPr output above 1,000 t (due Q3 2026). Past due is not the same as missed, because a company can deliver without a release the sources show.

  1. Late Sept 2026 Window ended, outcome not confirmed

    Cyclic Materials first commercial shipments from Mesa

    Cyclic Materials said its Mesa, Arizona plant, which opened on Sept 9, was due to make its first commercial shipments to US customers later that month. No shipment has been confirmed in the sources checked.

    Why it matters: First shipments would show whether the plant, with capacity for 25,000 t/yr of material, is selling product. It had received more than 7,000 t of end-of-life material by opening (company-reported).

    Company target Plants Cyclic Materials

    Sources Cyclic Materials: opens the first commercial-scale automated rare earth magnet recovery facility in the US (Sept 2026)

  2. Q3 2026 Window ended, outcome not confirmed

    Halleck Creek pre-feasibility study

    American Rare Earths scheduled the pre-feasibility study for Q3 2026. The quarter ended on Sept 30 and the sources checked show no release.

    Why it matters: It is the next study after the 2025 scoping study (2.63 billion tonnes at 3,292 ppm TREO, phase 1 NPV $558M, company-reported) and comes before the Wyoming permit filing.

    Company target Studies Halleck CreekAmerican Rare Earths

    Sources Mining Weekly: Halleck Creek rare earths project update (Jun 2026)American Rare Earths 2025 AGM chairman address (Nov 2025)

  3. Q3 2026 Window ended, outcome not confirmed

    MP Materials NdPr output above 1,000 t

    MP Materials said it expects Q3 2026 NdPr oxide production to exceed 1,000 t (company statement). It made 917 t in Q1 and 840 t in Q2.

    Why it matters: The figure will appear in the Q3 results, whose date had not been announced in the sources checked. Mountain Pass is the largest US source of separated NdPr.

    Company target Plants MP MaterialsMountain Pass

    Sources MP Materials Q2 2026 results

How firm are the dates on this page?

7 are fixed by a rule or contract, 4 follow an agency timetable and 33 are company targets. A fixed date does not depend on anyone finishing work; a target can slip, and the timeline records several that did.

How firm each kind of date is, with the count on this page and an example
Date basisWhat it meansOn this pageExample
Fixed dateA date set by a government measure, an executive order or an agreement, which does not depend on a company finishing its work.7Defense source qualification strategy dueOct 18, 2026
Agency timetableA schedule or estimate published by a regulator or agency. Agencies revise them.4Implementing regulations for supply chain mapping dueApr 16, 2027
Company targetA date the company says it is aiming for. Targets slip, and some depend on financing or approvals.33Round Top demonstration run due to endOct 2026

See which US rare earth project dates have moved. The capacity tracker shows what the targets add up to against demand.

How do I add these milestones to my calendar?

Download the calendar file and open it in Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook. It holds 30 of the 44 milestones: the ones with a day, a month or a quarter. Entries dated only by a half year or a year are left out because a calendar needs a day.

Download the calendar (.ics) Subscribe (webcal)

An entry dated "Q4 2026" is an all-day event that covers the quarter, titled with its window, so it does not claim a day. Entries are marked tentative unless a rule or contract fixes the date. Download the file again after an update, or subscribe so your calendar re-reads it.

Left out of the file: Diamond Creek bulk sampling and mineralogy (H2 2026); Solvay oxide deliveries to Noveon due to begin (2026); ReElement Marion lines come online in stages (Q3 2026 to Q1 2027); Ucore Machine A due for commissioning (H1 2027); MP Materials magnet shipments to Apple from recycled material (2027); Brook Mine pre-feasibility study and full-scale pilot (2027); Vulcan Elements Benson output and first Ucore oxide (2027); Round Top first commercial production target (H2 2028); MP Materials 10X commissioning and first samarium (2028); Phoenix Tailings Freedom Facility initial operations target (2028); USA Rare Earth Blacksburg commissioning target (2028); White Mesa Phase 2 expected to be complete (By mid-2029); Halleck Creek production target (About 2029); Brook Mine initial production target (2031).

Where do these dates come from and where do I read more?

Each fixed date comes from a policy page that quotes the rule, and each company date comes from the entity profile that cites the filing or release. The full history behind them is on the timeline, and the explainers cover the rules.

Questions about upcoming US rare earth milestones

When does China's rare earth export-control suspension end?

China's one-year suspension of six October 2025 announcements ends on Nov 10, 2026, and its separate pause on Article 2 of Announcement No. 46 ends on Nov 27, 2026. The April 2025 controls on seven elements stay in force either way. The sources checked report no extension.

When does the DFARS rare earth magnet rule take effect?

DFARS 252.225-7052 takes full effect on Jan 1, 2027. From then, covered magnets and metals that were mined, refined, separated, melted or produced in China, Russia, Iran or North Korea are barred from defense contracts, and waivers need an accepted mitigation plan.

When will MP Materials start commercial magnet shipments?

MP Materials expects commercial magnet shipments from its Independence plant to General Motors in Q4 2026, with dysprosium and terbium output later in 2026 (company statements). Shipments to Apple from recycled material are expected in 2027, and the 10X campus begins commissioning in 2028.

When is the Round Top feasibility study due?

USA Rare Earth expects the definitive feasibility study to complete in Q4 2026, with publication in Q1 2027. It targets first commercial production at Round Top in the second half of 2028. Both are company targets.

Which US rare earth milestones are past their date?

3 are due and not confirmed in the sources checked through Oct 1, 2026: Cyclic Materials first commercial shipments from Mesa (due Late Sept 2026); Halleck Creek pre-feasibility study (due Q3 2026); MP Materials NdPr output above 1,000 t (due Q3 2026). A due date is not a miss: a company may have delivered without an announcement the sources show, so check the company before relying on it.

When do US rare earth companies report earnings?

Each company sets and announces its own results date, so this page lists none until a company has announced one. None of the profiled companies had announced a third-quarter 2026 date in the sources checked. MP Materials reported its second quarter on Aug 6, 2026, after the market closed. Check each company's investor page for the next date.

How current is this list?

The list is verified through Oct 1, 2026. The directory re-verifies facts every quarter, scans for new dated events weekly and corrects errors within 48 hours of a report. A short script on this page marks entries whose date has passed since that check.

Sources for the milestones

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