Michael Rosenthal and James Litinsky are the leaders of MP Materials, which runs the only active rare earth metals mine in the U.S. When they bought the mine, neither had any background in geology, but both saw the need to rebuild a domestic supply chain for these strategic metals. “The idea that this entire supply chain was on the other side of the world in China. It just occurred to us that someone had to help fix this problem,” says Litinsky. China dominates the rare earth market. These elements are essential to modern life, from smartphones and robotics to EVs, fighter jets, drones, and radar technology. #rareearth #criticalminerals #supplychain #mining #energysecurity