USA Rare Earth shares are up more than 3% heading into the cash open on news that the company is accelerating commercialization of its Round Top rare earth project in Texas, a move that could bring U.S. production online years ahead of most competing efforts.
USAR now expects commercial production at Round Top in late 2028—two years ahead of its prior schedule. The deposit is regarded as the richest known U.S. source of heavy rare earth elements, as well as gallium and beryllium. These materials are vital for defense technologies, electric vehicles, renewable energy infrastructure, aerospace components, and advanced electronics, positioning Round Top as the foundation of USAR’s fully integrated “mine-to-magnet” supply chain.
That supply chain also includes:
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a 310,000 sq. ft. magnet manufacturing plant in Stillwater, Oklahoma, expected to become the largest metal-and-alloy-making and strip-casting facility outside China, and
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a processing and separation laboratory in Wheat Ridge, Colorado, supporting domestic mineral refinement and separation.
CEO Barbara Humpton said the accelerated production schedule reflects the company’s growing technical edge and its commitment to strengthen U.S. supply chains amid rising global demand for permanent magnets and heightened geopolitical risk. She called the new timeline an “exciting milestone” made possible by the team’s process engineering, scientific capabilities, and operational ingenuity.
The revised schedule stems from strong solvent-extraction piloting. USAR plans to launch its Hydromet demonstration facility in Colorado in early 2026, where five extraction circuits will run continuously for 2,000–4,000 hours to generate final commercial design data. These circuits will isolate high-value heavy rare earths—especially dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb), essential for high-strength magnets—while also producing other strategic minerals such as hafnium and zirconium.
This parallel-processing approach is projected to save tens of millions of dollars and enable completion of a definitive feasibility study by early 2027. With those milestones accelerated, USAR anticipates entering commercial production in 2028, creating earlier cash flow opportunities while bolstering a secure domestic supply chain.
The news also intersects with rising political emphasis on reshoring strategic minerals. During the Trump administration, rare earth supply security became a national priority amid escalating trade tensions with China, which dominates global processing. Trump issued executive actions directing agencies to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign minerals, opened pathways for funding domestic mining projects, and prioritized rare earths in defense procurement. Continued focus on critical mineral independence in a second Trump term will likely further support companies like USAR as they work to build a fully domestic mine-to-magnet ecosystem.
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