WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The United States Magnet Materials Association (“USMMA”) today announced that three industry experts – Jack Lifton, Stan Trout, and Tony Morcos – have joined the association as members of its newly-created advisory board.

• Jack Lifton of Jack Lifton, LLC is an independent consultant, focusing on the sourcing of nonferrous strategic metals. His work includes exploration, mining, and the recovery of metal values by recycling of not only metals and their alloys but also of metal-based chemicals used as raw materials for component manufacturing. Mr. Lifton holds more than 45 years of experience in the global OEM automotive, heavy equipment, electrical and electronic, mining, smelting, and refining industries. His background includes the sourcing, manufacturing, and sales of platinum group metal products, rare earth compounds, and ceramic specialties used to make catalytic converters, oxygen sensors, batteries, and fuel cells. He is knowledgeable in locating and analyzing new and recycled supplies of ‘minor metals’ including tellurium, selenium, indium, gallium, silicon, germanium, molybdenum, tungsten, manganese, chromium, and the rare earth metals.

• Stan Trout of Spontaneous Materials holds over 30 years experience in the permanent magnet and rare earth industries. With a wealth of problem solving abilities gained from a wide variety of technical and commercial roles, Stan has worked alongside many international luminaries in the industry. He is particularly proud to have trained many of today’s active industry professionals. A registered Professional Engineer, Stan has a B.S. in Physics from Lafayette College and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Metallurgy and Materials Science from the University of Pennsylvania.

• Tony Morcos of ACM Magnetics is an expert in magnetic circuit design and analysis, with more than 25 years of both theoretical and hands-on experience in permanent magnet manufacturing and electric motor/electromagnetic device design and manufacturing. With specialties in high-performance permanent magnet motors, actuators and sensors for use in Military/Aerospace, Medical, Automotive, Power Tool, Appliance and Commercial/Industrial applications, Mr. Morcos is a seasoned trainer and lecturer on permanent magnet materials & applications and electric motors & generators. Mr. Morcos received his Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering from the University of Dayton, where he studied under the “father of rare-earth permanent magnets” – Dr. Karl Strnat.

The USMMA recently expanded its focus to include rare earth materials and the rare earth magnet supply chain by committing to:

• Support the work of U.S. mining interests to identify and retrieve highly usable rare earth elements from reliable domestic and North American property holdings;
• Revive the ability of industry to convert rare earth elements into usable metal for domestic magnet manufacturing; and
• Advance the manufacturing efforts of U.S. magnet producers whose products are critical to renewable energy applications and national security systems.

The U.S. rare earth supply chain has been decimated by unfair trade practices of foreign competitors. Currently, China dominates the magnet materials industry and has successfully manipulated the rare earth metals market.

Worldwide demand for these materials is escalating rapidly, and over 95% of currently available rare earth mining occurs in China or is controlled by Chinese-led interests. Nevertheless, sizable deposits of the materials exist in the United States and Canada and are available for large scale mining operations.

Chinese rare earth export quotas and taxes have placed U.S. magnet manufacturing at a competitive disadvantage. This has led to an increase in Chinese manufacturing and driven Chinese firms up the value chain. No significant production of rare earth metals takes place today in North America or anywhere outside of China. In addition, experts worry that Chinese domestic demand for rare earth elements could easily equal Chinese production capacity as early as 2012, further limiting material availability in the United States. Additionally, China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology is calling for a total ban on some rare earth elements in the near future, cutting off the international community’s access to vital materials.

The USMMA argues that the ability to domestically manufacture permanent magnets including rare earth magnets and supporting materials is vital to the nation’s ability to innovate new technologies, create green jobs, and advance next generation national security systems. The USMMA is committed to providing a long-term reliable source of supply to the North American market.

The USMMA was founded in 2006 by magnet manufacturers Thomas & Skinner, Inc. of Indianapolis, Indiana; Hoosier Magnetics of Ogdensburg, New York; and Electron Energy Corporation of Landisville, Pennsylvania, to advocate on behalf of the specialty metals clause found at 10 U.S.C. 2533b. Thorium Energy, Inc., an American natural resources development company based in Salt Lake City and New York City, joined the organization in September.

USMMA members have successfully advocated for inclusion of a congressionally mandated study of the rare earth supply-chain in the FY10 National Defense Authorization Act. More information on the USMMA can be found at http://www.usmagnetmaterials.com.

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Molycorp Minerals, LLC announced today the formation of the Rare Earth Industry and Technology Association (“REITA”). REITA will function as an independent trade association dedicated to the establishment of a sustainable domestic Rare Earth industry and technology base to meet the growing need for Rare Earth materials and products for green energy, defense, high-tech and homeland security applications.

Molycorp’s CEO, Mark A. Smith, stated, “We are extremely pleased to be the founding member of REITA. While America has one of the largest and richest Rare Earth deposits in the world at Molycorp’s Mountain Pass, California facility, it has lost much of the technical and manufacturing capacity to produce the Rare Earth materials and products that are vital to the nation’s Green energy, high-tech and defense applications. In order for the United States to be successful in its quest for energy independence, it will need to reestablish these capabilities very quickly.” Mr. Smith went on to say, “Molycorp is proud to be playing a leadership role in helping to secure America’s future energy, economic and national security, by assuring a commercially sustainable supply of these critical materials and technologies that are ultimately used in the production of hybrid and electric cars, wind power turbines, many high-tech applications and numerous advanced defense systems.”

REITA’s Executive Director, Keith Delaney, said “Today, China supplies nearly 100% of the world’s requirements for Rare Earth materials. However, as China’s economy continues to expand, its own domestic need for these strategic materials is skyrocketing, resulting in ever decreasing amounts of these materials for export to the rest of the world. In addition, much of America’s Rare Earth technology and manufacturing infrastructure has also moved to China. As a result, there are now significant gaps in America’s Rare Earth technology, innovation and production capabilities. In some cases, entire supply chains for vital Rare Earth materials and products (such as high-power Rare Earth magnets) no longer exist in the U.S. Individual companies or institutions alone cannot fill these supply chain gaps. It will take a consortium of like-minded domestic and international organizations to band together to do so. REITA has been formed to take on this challenge.”

Mr. Delaney also stated that, “REITA’s Vision is to be the premier association of industry, government and academic partners meeting the U.S. need for Rare Earth materials and products. REITA will be the facilitating entity that pools the necessary capabilities of its members to expedite the domestic development and commercialization of Rare Earth technologies while helping to mitigate the commercial and technical risk of such initiatives.”

Other charter members of REITA, besides Molycorp, include General Electric Company, Arnold Magnetic Technologies Corporation, Electron Energy Corporation, Colorado School of Mines and noted Rare Earth industry analyst Mr. Jack Lifton.

For information on REITA, its mission and membership requirements, please contact Mr. Keith Delaney, Executive Director, Rare Earth Industry and Technology Association at 303-409-7603 or visit www.reitausa.org.

For more information regarding Molycorp, please contact Molycorp Minerals at 303-843-8040 or visit www.Molycorp.com.