Washington (Washington Insider Magazine) January 26, 2026 - The Trump administration has finalised a $1.6 billion investment in USA Rare Earth incorporating a 10 percent equity stake through $277 million direct share purchase at $17.17 per share. The deal funds magnet manufacturing and heavy rare earth separation facilities in Stillwater Oklahoma targeting Chinese supply chain dominance reduction for defence technologies. Additional $1 billion private financing supports Round Top Texas deposit development positioning USA Rare Earth as domestic critical minerals leader.
Department of Defense confirmed award January 22 detailing equity warrants government purchase guarantees spanning 2026-2030 production timelines. Company chief executive Joshua Ballard described investment transformative for national security supply chains F-35 jets Virginia-class submarines precision-guided munitions component independence achievement. Stillwater facilities target 4,500 tonnes annual NdPr magnet production 1,200 tonnes dysprosium oxide separation capacity 2028 operations commencement.
Investment structure equity stake warrants details
Credit: bingx.com
Trump administration acquires 10 percent USA Rare Earth ownership via $277 million equity investment $17.17 share price reflecting pre-surge valuation. Warrants accompany package enabling additional share purchases performance milestones achievement production capacity utilisations defence contract deliveries verification.
Sources familiar with negotiations confirmed structure announced January 26 premarket trading surge 48 percent share price reaching $24-25 range investor confidence demonstration. As reported by Jim Brunsden of Financial Times government stake ensures long-term alignment national security priorities technology transfer mandates enforcement.
Private financing $1 billion syndicate commitments announced same day debt facilities mezzanine capital equipment leasing arrangements facility construction acceleration.
Market participants reacted swiftly to equity stake confirmation. Sistine Research noted government participation significance. Sistine Research said in X post,
"Trump admin to take 10% stake in USA Rare Earth in $1.6 billion deal, sources say Trump administration's $1.6B rare earth investment signals major shift toward domestic critical mineral production, reducing China dependency. This strategic move has broad implications for tech supply chains and national security sectors.Expected Market Impact: ↑ URA ↑ Copper ↑ NVDA ↑ DXY"
Trump admin to take 10% stake in USA Rare Earth in $1.6 billion deal, sources say
— Sistine Research (@sistineresearch) January 26, 2026
Trump administration's $1.6B rare earth investment signals major shift toward domestic critical mineral production, reducing China dependency. This strategic move has broad implications for tech…
Stillwater oklahoma facility construction timeline
Credit: OKC Commerce website
Stillwater magnet manufacturing plant breaks ground Q2 2026 18-month construction schedule completion 4,500 tonne annual capacity NdPr magnets grain boundary diffusion technology incorporation. Heavy rare earth separation facility parallel construction continuous ion exchange processing dysprosium terbium 99.5 percent purity defence specifications compliance.
Oklahoma Gas Electric 50 megawatt substation upgrades grid interconnections environmental permits secured air quality stormwater management compliance. Local workforce recruitment commences Q3 2026 450 permanent positions $85,000 average salaries comprehensive benefits training programmes Oklahoma State University partnerships.
Economic development incentives $20 million cash rebates 15-year performance period job creation thresholds satisfaction property tax abatements.
Round top deposit texas resource development plans
Credit: Jay Phagan
Round Top mountain Hudspeth County contains 1.5 billion tonnes mineralised material fifteen rare earth elements 72 million tonnes measured indicated resources NI 43-101 compliant estimation. 2025 drilling programme 30,000 metres confirmed expansion potential 20-year mine life $5.2 billion net present value projections.
Metallurgical recoveries 85 percent continuous ion exchange solvent extraction flowsheet optimisation pilot plant validations completed. Mining permits issued Texas Commission Environmental Quality dry-stack tailings 95 percent water recycling groundwater protection standards implementation.
Infrastructure developments include 100 kilometre transmission line water rights acquisitions workforce housing facilities regional economic multipliers 2.5 GDP contributions estimation.
Department defense contract specifications purchase guarantees
DoD guarantees 60 percent magnet production purchase five-year terms extension options London Metal Exchange pricing formulas indexation. F-35 jet actuators Virginia-class submarine pump jets precision-guided munition servos qualification testing protocols 2027 field validations scheduling.
Defence Logistics Agency Strategic Materials 500 tonnes dysprosium oxide 200 tonnes terbium oxide inventory bridge production ramp periods. Industrial Base Analysis Improvement Program $2.5 billion total allocation USA Rare Earth largest single award technical merit evaluation highest scoring.
As reported by Bryan Bender of Politico Undersecretary Frank Kendall testified Senate Armed Services Committee Chinese 90 percent processing dominance F-35 production delays 18-month lead time extensions mitigation imperatives.
Chinese rare earth supply chain dominance statistics
China produces 70 percent global rare earth mining 90 percent separation processing 85 percent magnet manufacturing NdPr oxide exports restricted 2025 quotas tightening. 2010 Japan dispute response export halts demonstrated coercion capabilities western manufacturers vulnerability exposures.
United States imports 80 percent defence magnets single Chinese suppliers dependency National Defense Strategy 2023 risk identifications. Executive Order 14017 supply chain reviews directed interagency coordination Commerce Energy DoD implementation roadmaps publication.
Market reaction share price surge trading volume
USA Rare Earth shares surged 48 percent premarket January 26 $17.17 equity strike price $24-25 trading levels investor enthusiasm government backing validation. Trading volume exceeded 10 million shares daily average 1.5 million 600 percent increase short interest covering acceleration.
MacroMicro highlighted financing details. MacroMicro said in X post,
"USA Rare Earth (USAR) is now up 48% premarket on reports of $1.6B Trump admin package → government takes 10% stake via $277M equity buy at $17.17/share (now ~$24-25 post-surge) plus warrants With an additional $1 billion in private financing expected today, USA Rare Earth is being positioned as the domestic sovereign leader to rival overseas dominance."
USA Rare Earth (USAR) is now up 48% premarket on reports of $1.6B Trump admin package → government takes 10% stake via $277M equity buy at $17.17/share (now ~$24-25 post-surge) plus warrants
— MacroMicro (@MacroMicroMe) January 26, 2026
With an additional $1 billion in private financing expected today, USA Rare Earth is… pic.twitter.com/VPnv9zyXes
Analyst coverage initiations commenced JPMorgan Goldman Sachs $30 price targets buy ratings strategic positioning endorsements.
Competitive domestic producers capacity expansions
MP Materials Mountain Pass California 40,000 tonnes rare earth oxides annual NdPr concentrate domestic separation 2026 commissioning. Lynas USA Hondo Texas light rare earth plant operational heavy expansion $258 million DoD funding dysprosium capabilities addition.
Energy Fuels White Mesa Utah monazite processing 3,000 tonnes rare earth carbonate heavy concentrates supply contracts execution. USA Rare Earth vertical integration mining separation magnets differentiates market positioning scale economies capture.
Environmental regulatory compliance standards met
Environmental Impact Statement 2025 public comments resolved Clean Water Act NPDES permits stormwater plans spill prevention implementation. Air quality permits particulate NOx SO2 limits continuous monitoring systems installations federal NEPA state requirements satisfaction.
Reclamation bonds $45 million native vegetation revegetation groundwater wells network operations 20-year monitoring commitments. Community engagement programmes stakeholder consultations Inuit traditional knowledge incorporations environmental justice principles applications.
Workforce development training initiatives launched
Oklahoma Works registered apprenticeships machining assembly quality control 100 annual placements target women manufacturing STEM outreach K-12 pipelines. Veterans hiring goals 20 percent military transition assistance community college associate degrees industry certifications.
Union partnerships United Steelworkers training facilities joint labour management committees workplace safety protocols establishment.
Technology intellectual property portfolio strengths
18 US patents continuous ion exchange solvent extraction grain boundary diffusion magnet enhancements proprietary technologies. Texas Mineral Resources exclusive licensing 20-year terms royalty structures technology transfer DoD labs F-35 retrofits validations.
ITAR export controls foreign military sales waivers non-allied prohibitions cybersecurity maturity model certifications CISA compliance. Government Accountability Office quarterly expenditure audits congressional defence committees submissions DoD Inspector General 2027 2029 reviews. House Armed Services tactical air land forces hearings March 2026 production ramp validations F-35 sustainment evaluations.
Senate defence appropriations continuing resolutions FY2027 funding assurances Berry Amendment 100 percent US content compliance waivers critical minerals exceptions.
Global rare earth demand supply forecasts updated
IEA projections rare earth demand doubles 4.5 million tonnes 2030 electric vehicles wind turbines defence applications dominance. NdPr oxide $75 kilogram dysprosium $350 terbium $1,200 constrained supply 8 percent CAGR pricing power projections.
Australian Lynas Malaysia expansions Chinese environmental closures 20 percent global production growth supply forecasts alignment.
Supply chain localisation buy american enforcement
Section 889 Chinese telecom bans federal procurement enforcement domestic content 75 percent magnet weight 2029 thresholds. Third-party audits vendor vetting CISA risk management national security waiver determinations Commerce issuances.
Long-term offtake agreements Lockheed Martin Raytheon Northrop Grumman F-35 submarine programmes integration supply chain resilience enhancements.
Oklahoma economic development incentives package
Oklahoma Economic Development Authority $20 million cash 15-year rebates job thresholds property tax abatements utility rate reductions. Stillwater Development Authority infrastructure grants workforce housing site preparation contributions regional GDP $3.2 billion 20-year projections.
Construction phase 1,200 jobs $250 million payroll local purchases operations 450 positions economic multipliers 2.5 estimations.
Strategic national security implications documented
DoD National Defense Strategy 2023 Chinese rare earth coercion risks F-35 production rates submarine programmes sustainment imperatives identifications. Executive actions day one signatures regulatory moratoriums agency head appointments supply chain localisation accelerations.
Presidential determinations critical minerals waivers Berry Amendment compliance domestic non-availability findings Commerce certifications issuances.