MP Materials Corp. / DE (MP) Risk Factors

ITEM 1A.    RISK FACTORS

Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Investors should carefully consider the risks described below and all of the other information we file with the SEC before deciding to invest in our common stock. If any of the events or developments described below occur, our business, prospects, financial condition, or results of operations could be materially or adversely affected. As a result, the market price of our common stock could decline, and investors could lose all or part of their investment. The risks and uncertainties described below are not the only risks and uncertainties that we face. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also impair our business operations. The risks discussed below also include forward-looking statements, and our actual results may differ substantially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. See “Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” above.

Risk Factor Summary

Our business is subject to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those highlighted immediately following this summary. Some of these risks are:

•We may be adversely affected by fluctuations in demand for, and prices of, REE and magnet materials.

•There can be no assurances that the funding of and support for the transactions contemplated by the DoW Transaction Agreements will not be modified, challenged or impaired in the future, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

•The DoW Transaction Agreements contain affirmative and negative covenants that may restrict our ability, and the ability of our subsidiaries, to take actions management believes are important to our long-term strategy and could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, or results of operations.

•The success of our business will depend, in part, on the growth of existing and emerging uses for rare earth products.

•We operate in a highly competitive industry.

•Industry consolidation may result in increased competition, which could result in a reduction in revenue.

•Our ability to generate revenue will be diminished if we are unable to compete with substitutions for our rare earth materials.

•Significant political, trade and regulatory developments, and other circumstances beyond our control, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

•The production of rare earth products is a capital-intensive business that requires the commitment of substantial resources; if we do not have sufficient resources to provide for such production, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

•Our continued growth depends on our ability to reach anticipated production rates for the separation of REE as part of midstream operations at Mountain Pass, our only rare earth mining and processing facility.

•If we infringe, or are accused of infringing, the intellectual property rights of third parties, it may increase our costs or prevent us from being able to commercialize new products.

•We may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual property rights. If we fail to adequately enforce or defend our intellectual property rights, our business may be harmed.

•We may not be able to obtain additional patents and the legal protection afforded by any additional patents may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep any competitive advantage.

•If we are unable to perform the obligations under our customer supply agreements, this could have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.

•We may not be able to convert current commercial discussions with customers for the sale of our products into contracts, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.

•The financial, tax and accounting treatment of the DoW Transactions contemplated by the DoW Transaction Agreements involved significant judgment and may change.

•Outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics could have an adverse effect on our business.

•We are subject to a number of operational risks of our business, including power outages or shortages at Mountain Pass or Independence; increasing costs or limited access to raw materials; disruptions in transportation or other

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services; inability to process REO that meet individual customer specifications; diminished access to water; uncertainty in our estimates of REO reserves; labor matters/labor relations; information technology and cybersecurity breaches; and/or environmental matters.

•The conditional conversion features of our Convertible Notes (as defined in Note 10, “Debt Obligations” in the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements), if triggered, may adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.

•Conversion of our Convertible Notes may dilute the ownership interest of our stockholders or may otherwise depress the price of our common stock.

•Certain provisions in the indentures governing the Convertible Notes may delay or prevent an otherwise beneficial takeover attempt of us.

•Servicing our debt requires a significant amount of cash, and we may not have sufficient cash flow from our business to pay our debt.

•Our Credit Agreement (as defined in Note 10, “Debt Obligations” in the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements) contains certain restrictive covenants, and if we are unable to comply with these covenants, then the lenders could declare an event of default wherein we may need to immediately repay the amounts due under the Credit Agreement.

Risks Relating to our Business and Industry

We may be adversely affected by fluctuations in demand for, and prices of, REE and magnet materials.

Because our revenue is, and will be for the foreseeable future, from the sale of rare earth products, changes in demand for, and the market price of (including taxes and other tariffs and fees imposed upon) REE and magnet materials could significantly affect our profitability. The Company’s arrangements with the DoW are intended to significantly mitigate the risks of commodity price fluctuations associated with NdPr on our results of operations. In particular, the Company entered into the Price Protection Agreement, which provides a price floor of $110 per kilogram (“kg”) for NdPr products stockpiled, sold to internal affiliates, or sold to third parties. If market prices fall below this threshold, the Company will receive a quarterly payment from the DoW to offset the shortfall. Conversely, once the 10X Facility reaches full production capacity, if the price of NdPr exceeds the threshold, the Company will remit a portion of the upside to the DoW, equal to 30% of the NdPr sales price in excess of $110 per kg. This arrangement allows the Company to sell NdPr at a more stable price, with limited exposure to price declines while retaining upside exposure. This moderates the Company’s exposure to the fluctuations in the NdPr commodity market which the Company has experienced in recent years.

However, while this DoW commitment provides a meaningful measure of certainty with respect to our medium- and longer-term NdPr-related cash flows, our business and financial results remain susceptible to the fluctuations in the demand for, and the realized prices of, REE and magnet materials, which may fluctuate and are affected by numerous factors beyond our control such as interest rates, exchange rates, taxes, inflation or deflation, changes in tariffs or trade restrictions, fluctuation in the relative value of the U.S. dollar against foreign currencies on the world market, shipping and other transportation and logistics costs, global and regional supply and demand for rare earth minerals and products, potential industry trends, such as competitor consolidation or other integration methodologies, and the political and economic conditions of countries that produce and procure REE and magnet materials. A change in the U.S. federal administration introduces uncertainty as to shifts in policies, tariffs, taxes, regulations, and priorities, all of which may have a detrimental impact on demand. Furthermore, supply side factors have a significant influence on price volatility for REE and magnet materials. Supply of REE and magnet materials is dominated by Chinese producers. The Chinese Central Government regulates production via quotas and environmental standards, and, to a lesser extent, regulation of imports, and has and may continue to change such production quotas, environmental standards, and import regulations. Over the past few years, there has been significant restructuring of the Chinese market in line with Chinese Central Government policy; however, periods of over-supply or speculative trading of REE and magnet materials can lead to significant fluctuations in the market price of such products.

Demand for our products may be impacted by demand for downstream products incorporating rare earths, including hybrid and electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, medical equipment, military equipment and other high-growth, advanced motion technologies, as well as demand in the general automotive and electronics industries. Lack of growth in these markets may adversely affect the demand for our products.

In contrast, extended periods of high commodity prices may create economic dislocations that may be destabilizing to REE and magnet material supply and demand and ultimately to the broader markets. Periods of high REE market prices generally are beneficial to our financial performance. However, strong REE prices also create economic pressure to identify or create

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alternate technologies that ultimately could depress long-term demand for rare earth minerals and products, and at the same time may incentivize development of competing mining properties.

There can be no assurances that the funding of and support for the transactions contemplated by the DoW Transaction Agreements will not be modified, challenged or impaired in the future, which would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position.

In July 2025, following the execution of the DoW Transaction Agreements, we satisfied all of the initial conditions required thereunder, including the receipt by the Company of the proceeds from the sale of the Series A Preferred Stock. We have received assurances from the DoW that it has, pursuant to Title III of the Defense Production Act (“DPA”), 50 U.S.C. § 4531 et seq., as well as other authorities, all requisite authority to enter into the DoW Transaction Agreements and to consummate its obligations thereunder, including with respect to appropriation of the funds used to purchase the Series A Preferred Stock and to fund the Samarium Project Loan. However, given the unconventional use of DPA Title III authority, the need for the DoW to secure additional funds in the future in order to meet its obligations in these DoW Transaction Agreements, as well as the heightened sensitivity and complexity of contracting with a government entity, particularly in a high profile industry implicating national security, there can be no assurances that the authorization of and continued support for the DoW Transactions will not be modified, challenged or impaired in the future, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial position and the price of our common stock. We believe there are multiple factors that may contribute to this uncertainty, including, but not limited to, the current and future interpretation of the DPA or other laws, and enactment of future federal and international laws, regulations, administrative actions and rulings, and interpretations and changes to interpretations thereof, whether by a court or within the legislative or executive branches of the federal government; our ability to comply with any conditions or other requirements imposed by such laws, regulations, actions and rulings, and changes thereto; a determination by the legislative, judicial, or executive branches of the federal government that any aspect of DoW Transaction Agreements was unauthorized, void, or voidable; future changes in federal administration and related executive and legislative priorities; the continued availability of Congressional appropriations and DoW funding; geopolitical developments; and the legal and strategic challenges associated with enforcing the obligations of and seeking performance from a government counterparty, especially in conjunction with the unique defenses and remedies available to the federal government. Furthermore, while the DoW is contractually bound under the DoW Transaction Agreements, no other agency, office or branch of the federal government has made any assurances or has any obligations under the DoW Transaction Agreements to actively support, accede to or refrain from challenging, investigating or otherwise impeding the commitments and obligations of the parties to the DoW Transaction Agreements, whether now or in the future. The DoW Transactions may also be challenged by other third parties and are subject to the risk of litigation, both the cost and result of which could materially adversely affect our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations.

The DoW Transaction Agreements require the Company to make substantial investments in and commitments to specific aspects of our business, namely the expansion of our midstream separation capabilities and development of our 10X Facility. Furthermore, under the terms of the DoW Offtake Agreement, we anticipate that the DoW may become our largest customer of magnets and that the obligations of the DoW under the Price Protection Agreement and DoW Offtake Agreement may represent a significant source of our revenue. As such, we may be heavily reliant upon the continued availability of funding provided by the DoW (including its ability to secure sufficient funding from the legislative branch), as well as the DoW’s long-term pricing and offtake commitments in planning our operations and formulating our strategic plan. If, for any reason, contractually agreed to (but currently unavailable) funding is not timely appropriated by the legislative branch or otherwise becomes unavailable, reduced, restricted, or delayed, we may need to seek alternate financing arrangements, and there can be no assurance that we would be able to secure replacement financing on acceptable terms, at favorable pricing, in a timely manner or at all. If we are not successful in generating alternate financing from operations or in equity or debt capital raising transactions, we may need to reduce our costs, which measures could include selling or consolidating certain operations or assets, and delaying, canceling or scaling back our development projects. Further, historically, market prices for rare earth metals and their downstream products have been subject to a high degree of volatility. If the DoW were to fail to meet its obligations with respect to its pricing and offtake commitments, or to be delayed in doing so, our products may not be cost-optimized to compete in the market, and our profitability may be materially adversely impacted if we choose to offer our products at a reduced price. Additionally, because many of our products may be designed to satisfy DoW specifications and requirements, our products may not find customers in the commercial marketplace, and our profitability may be materially adversely impacted if we are unable to identify alternative sales channels. Failure by either or both of the Company and the DoW to perform its obligations under the Price Protection Agreement and the DoW Offtake Agreement would have a material adverse impact on our business, prospects, results of operations and financial position, and may result in increased volatility in and an adverse effect on the price of our common stock.

Our operations are subject to extensive regulatory requirements enforced in part by the federal government. If government regulations are interpreted or enforced in a manner adverse to us, we may be subject to enforcement actions, penalties,

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exclusion, and other material limitations on our operations. Any change in our relationship with the federal government could impair our ability to operate our existing business and pursue our strategic plans. Furthermore, many of the potential opportunities presented by our strategic relationship with the DoW cannot be replaced, including the government’s unique position to assist and facilitate our sourcing of heavy rare earth feedstock and securing necessary environmental permits and approvals, and with respect to the designation with the highest priority DX Rating under the Defense Priorities and Allocations System of our contracts relating to the DoW Transactions. In the event of any termination or frustration of the DoW Transaction Agreements, in full or in part, we may have limited recourse and remedies available against the DoW and the federal government.

The DoW Transaction Agreements also subject the Company to various laws, regulations, and other policies and considerations that may constrain the Company’s future business or otherwise have a material adverse impact on future financial results. The Company may be subject to heightened scrutiny of our business activities with both government and non-government customers, government audits, investigations, congressional scrutiny, inquiries about conflicts of interest, civil or criminal enforcement by the Department of Justice (including actions under the False Claims Act), exclusion or limitation on future government-funded opportunities, suspension, debarment, and other administrative remedies. Any failure by the DoW to perform its obligations under the DoW Transaction Agreements could exacerbate the other risks described in this section, including risks related to commodity price volatility, liquidity, regulatory compliance and our ability to execute our strategic plans.

The DoW Transaction Agreements contain affirmative and negative covenants that may restrict our ability, and the ability of our subsidiaries, to take actions management believes are important to our long-term strategy and could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition, or results of operations.

The DoW Transaction Agreements contain affirmative covenants requiring us to take certain actions and negative covenants restricting our ability to take certain actions. The affirmative covenants impose obligations on us with respect to, among other things, (i) constructing the 10X Facility, (ii) extending HREE refining capability at Mountain Pass to include the separation of samarium oxide, (iii) recommissioning the chlor-alkali facilities at Mountain Pass, and (iv) expanding capacity at the Independence Facility to a projected 3,000 MTs of magnets annually. The negative covenants in the DoW Transaction Agreements restrict us with respect to, among other things, (i) consummating certain fundamental events other than to person(s) from certain permitted jurisdictions, (ii) selling any equity or material assets of the Project Company (as such term is defined in the DoW Offtake Agreement), (iii) selling assets or products identified by the DoW as a priority to U.S. national security interests, (iv) knowingly issuing more than 14.9% of the common stock to person(s) from foreign jurisdictions other than certain permitted jurisdictions, (v) consummating certain fundamental events subject to the jurisdiction of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (“CFIUS”) without obtaining CFIUS clearance prior to consummation or (vi) selling NdPr or magnets to any customer qualifying as a “Restricted Buyer” under the Price Protection Agreement or permitting any customer to resell NdPr or magnets to a Restricted Buyer (other than any NdPr or magnets that are included in another finished product sold by such customer).

Compliance with the affirmative and negative covenants contained in the DoW Transaction Agreements could restrict our ability to take actions that management believes are important to our long-term strategy. If strategic transactions we wish to undertake are prohibited by the DoW Transaction Agreements, our ability to execute our long-term strategy could be materially adversely affected. A failure to comply with these covenants could give rise to an event of default under the applicable DoW Transaction Agreements. If any such event of default is not waived by the DoW, the DoW would have the right to exercise remedies, which may include, without limitation, termination of one or more of the DoW Transaction Agreements, acceleration of maturity of the Samarium Project Loan, and/or seeking damages. Any such remedies could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial position, and could cause volatility in or otherwise adversely affect, the price of our common stock.

The success of our business will depend, in part, on the growth of existing and emerging uses for rare earth products.

Our strategy is to produce REE and magnet products that are used in critical existing and emerging technologies, such as xEVs, advanced electronics, aerospace and defense systems, energy products, robotics, and many other high-growth, advanced technologies. The success of our business depends on the continued growth of these end-markets and the successful commercialization of rare earth products, including NdPr, in such markets. If the market for these critical existing and emerging technologies does not grow as we expect, grows slower than we expect, or if the demand for our products in these markets decreases, then our business, prospects, financial condition and operating results could be harmed. In addition, the market for these technologies, particularly in the automotive industry, tends to be cyclical, which exposes us to increased volatility, and it is uncertain as to how such macroeconomic factors will impact our business. Any unexpected costs or delays in the manufacturing of separated REE products or rare earth magnets, or less than expected demand for the critical existing and

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emerging technologies that use rare earth products, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

We operate in a highly competitive industry.

The rare earth mining and processing and magnet manufacturing industry is capital intensive with competitive market dynamics. Production of REE and magnet products is dominated by our Chinese competitors. These competitors may have greater financial resources, as well as other strategic advantages to operate, maintain, improve, and possibly expand their facilities. Additionally, our Chinese competitors have historically been able to produce at relatively low costs due to domestic economic and regulatory factors, including less stringent environmental and governmental regulations and lower labor and benefit costs. If we are not able to achieve consistent product quality at our anticipated costs of production, then any strategic advantages that our competitors may have over us, including, without limitation, lower labor, compliance, and production costs, could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Industry consolidation may result in increased competition, which could result in a reduction in revenue.

Some of our competitors have made, or may make, acquisitions or enter into partnerships or other strategic relationships to achieve competitive advantages. In addition, new entrants not currently considered competitors may enter our market through acquisitions, partnerships, or strategic relationships. We expect these trends to continue as demand for rare earth materials increases. Industry consolidation may result in competitors with more compelling product offerings or greater pricing flexibility than we have, or business practices that make it more difficult for us to compete effectively, including on the basis of price, sales, technology or supply. For example, in 2025, China took additional steps to consolidate control of the industry into the two major groups through export and import limitations, as well as adjustments to the production quota system. Outside of China, there are few producers operating at scale, with processing capabilities located in only one other major integrated operator across Australia and Malaysia. These competitive pressures could have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our ability to generate revenue will be diminished if we are unable to compete with substitutions for our rare earth materials.

Technology changes rapidly in the industries and end-markets that utilize our materials. If these industries introduce new technologies or products that no longer require the rare earth materials or NdFeB magnets we produce or may produce in the future, or suitable substitutes become available, this could result in a decline in demand for our rare earth materials or NdFeB magnets. If the demand for our rare earth materials or NdFeB magnets decreases, it will have a material adverse effect on our business and the results of our operations.

Significant political, trade and regulatory developments, and other circumstances beyond our control, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

We operate globally and sell our products in countries throughout the world. Significant political, trade, or regulatory developments in the jurisdictions in which we sell our products, including changes in tariff policies by the U.S. administration, export controls, or other trade restrictions, are difficult to predict and may have a material adverse effect on us. Similarly, changes in U.S. federal policy that affect the geopolitical landscape could give rise to circumstances outside our control that could have negative impacts on our business operations. For example, the current U.S. administration has increased tariffs on goods imported into the U.S., particularly from China, Canada, and Mexico. Historically, tariffs have led to increased trade and political tensions, between not only the U.S. and China, but also between the U.S. and other countries in the international community. In response to tariffs, other countries have implemented retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods. Political tensions as a result of trade policies or other geopolitical dynamics could reduce trade volume, investment, technological exchange, and other economic activities between major international economies, resulting in a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets. We and/or our suppliers may also experience shortages of materials or increases in prices of materials as a result of these ongoing trade tensions, which could increase our costs or decrease our volume of production. Any changes in political, trade, regulatory, and economic conditions, including, but not limited to, U.S. and China trade policies, could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

The production of rare earth products is a capital-intensive business that requires the commitment of substantial resources; if we do not have sufficient resources to provide for such production, it could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

Our ability to reach anticipated production rates as part of our midstream operations at Mountain Pass, the completion and expansion of Independence, the construction of the 10X Facility, as well as the execution of other capital projects such as the HREE Facility, chlor-alkali facility, and development of recycling capabilities at Mountain Pass, all require the commitment of

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substantial resources and capital expenditures. Our estimated expenses may increase for a variety of factors, including as a result of inflationary pressures in the U.S. The progress, the amounts and timing of expenditures and the success of these projects will depend in part on the following: (a) the Company and the DoW performing their respective obligations under the DoW Agreements; (b) the ability of the midstream operating facilities to separate REO as designed and engineered; (c) our ability to timely produce metal for magnets; (d) our ability to timely procure new equipment and materials, certain of which may involve long lead-times, or to repair existing equipment; (e) the ability of service providers or vendors to meet contractually-negotiated delivery or completion deadlines or meet performance specifications or guarantees; (f) maintaining, and procuring, as required, applicable federal, state and local permits; (g) the incorporation of project change orders, due to engineering, process, health and safety, or other considerations; (h) negotiating contracts for equipment, earthwork, construction, equipment installation, labor and completing infrastructure and construction work following commissioning; (i) impact of planned and unplanned shut-downs and delays in our production; (j) impact of stoppages or delays on construction projects; (k) disputes with contractors or other third parties; (l) negotiating sales and offtake contracts for our planned production; (m) the execution of any joint venture agreements or similar arrangements with strategic partners; and (n) other factors, many of which are beyond our control.

Most of these activities require significant lead times and must be advanced concurrently. Unanticipated costs or delays could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations and could require us to seek additional capital, which may not be available on commercially acceptable terms or at all.

Our continued growth depends on our ability to reach anticipated production rates for the separation of REE as part of midstream operations at Mountain Pass, our only rare earth mining and processing facility.

Our only rare earth mining and processing facility at this time is Mountain Pass. Our continued growth is based on reaching anticipated production rates for the separation of REE in accordance with our expected timeframe. The deterioration or destruction of any part of Mountain Pass, or a failure of any necessary equipment to operate as designed, may significantly hinder our ability to reach or maintain anticipated production rates within the expected timeframe or at all. If we are unsuccessful in reaching and maintaining expected production rates for REE at Mountain Pass, including by failing to reach anticipated throughput, recoveries, uptimes, yields, product quality, or any combination thereof, within expected timeframes or at all, we may not be able to reach our full revenue potential or achieve our anticipated cost structure.

If we infringe, or are accused of infringing, the intellectual property rights of third parties, it may increase our costs or prevent us from being able to commercialize new products.

There is a risk that we may infringe, or may be accused of infringing, the proprietary rights of third parties under patents and pending patent applications belonging to third parties that may exist in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world that relate to our rare earth products and processes, including our production of magnets at Independence and the 10X Facility. Because the patent application process can take several years to complete, there may be currently pending applications that may later result in issued patents that cover our products and processes. In addition, our products and processes may infringe existing patents.

Defending ourselves against third-party claims would be costly and time consuming and would divert employees’ attention from our business, which could lead to delays in our downstream expansion. If third parties are successful in their claims, we might have to pay substantial damages or take other actions that are adverse to our business. As a result of intellectual property infringement claims, or to avoid potential claims, we might:

•be prohibited from, or delayed in, selling rare earth products, including magnet materials, or licensing some of our products or using some of our processes unless the patent holder licenses the patent to us, which it is not required to do;

•be required to pay substantial royalties or grant a cross license to our patents to another patent holder; or

•be required to redesign a product or process so it does not infringe a third party’s patent, which may not be possible or could require substantial funds and time.

In addition, we could be subject to claims that our employees, or we, have inadvertently or otherwise used or disclosed trade secrets or other proprietary information of third parties.

If we are unable to resolve claims that may be brought against us by third parties related to their intellectual property rights on terms acceptable to us, we may be precluded from offering some of our products or using some of our processes.

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We may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual property rights. If we fail to adequately enforce or defend our intellectual property rights, our business may be harmed.

Much of the technology used in the markets in which we compete is protected by patents and trade secrets, and our commercial success will depend in significant part on our ability to obtain and maintain patent and trade secret protection for our products and methods. To compete in these markets, we rely on a combination of trade secret protection, nondisclosure and licensing agreements, patents and trademarks to establish and protect our proprietary intellectual property rights, including our proprietary rare earth production processes that are not patented. Our intellectual property rights may be challenged or infringed upon by third parties, or we may be unable to maintain, renew or enter into new license agreements with third-party owners of intellectual property on reasonable terms. In addition, our intellectual property may be subject to infringement or other unauthorized use outside of the U.S. In such case, our ability to protect our intellectual property rights by legal recourse or otherwise may be limited, particularly in countries where laws or enforcement practices are undeveloped or do not recognize or protect intellectual property rights to the same extent as the U.S. Unauthorized use of our intellectual property rights or our inability to preserve existing intellectual property rights could adversely impact our competitive position and results of operations. The loss of our patents could reduce the value of the related products. In addition, the cost to litigate infringements of our patents, or the cost to defend ourselves against patent infringement actions by others, could be substantial and, if incurred, could materially affect our business and financial condition.

Proprietary trade secrets and unpatented know-how are also very important to our business. We rely on trade secrets to protect certain aspects of our technology, especially where we do not believe that patent protection is appropriate or obtainable. However, trade secrets are difficult to protect. Our employees, consultants, contractors, outside scientific collaborators and other advisors may unintentionally or willfully disclose our confidential information to competitors, and confidentiality agreements may not provide an adequate remedy in the event of unauthorized disclosure of confidential or proprietary information. It is expensive and time consuming, with no certain outcome, to pursue a claim that a third party illegally obtained and is using our trade secrets. Moreover, our competitors may independently develop equivalent knowledge, methods and know-how. Failure to obtain or maintain trade secret protection could adversely affect our competitive business position.

We may not be able to obtain additional patents and the legal protection afforded by any additional patents may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep any competitive advantage.

Our ability to obtain additional patents is uncertain and the legal protection afforded by these patents is limited and may not adequately protect our rights or permit us to gain or keep any competitive advantage. In addition, the specific content required of patents and patent applications that are necessary to support and interpret patent claims is highly uncertain due to the complex nature of the relevant legal, scientific and factual issues. Changes in either patent laws or interpretations of patent laws in the U.S. or elsewhere may diminish the value of our intellectual property or narrow the scope of our patent protection. Even if patents are issued regarding our products and processes, our competitors may challenge the validity of those patents. Patents also will not protect our products and processes if competitors devise ways of making products without infringing our patents.

If we are unable to perform the obligations under our customer supply agreements, this could have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.

We have entered into customer agreements with the DoW, Apple, GM, and other strategic customers. Our ability to fulfill our obligations under these long-term agreements to supply magnets and magnet materials to the DoW, Apple and GM, as examples, as well as any other future customers, is subject to a number of risks and contingencies. We are currently continuing to ramp the production and sales of magnetic precursor products and commissioning our magnet manufacturing capabilities at our Independence Facility, the first scaled, fully integrated rare earth magnet manufacturing facility in the U.S. in several decades. Under the DoW Transaction Agreements, we are required to begin planning and constructing a second rare earth magnet manufacturing facility, the 10X Facility. Despite benefiting from a number of experienced engineers and other third parties in the design, engineering and construction of the Independence Facility and the 10X Facility, we will be required to make a number of judgments and assumptions on process design, equipment selection and design, and plant operations, that may or may not prove to be correct. Design, engineering or construction delays may impair our ability to perform under our long-term agreements with the DoW, Apple, GM, and others, as well as those made with any other future customers. We will also need to promptly assess the need for and to build out additional resources to support multiple novel construction projects in parallel. In addition, we need to procure the necessary equipment and materials to produce magnets and their precursor products, some of which may be difficult to obtain. There can be no assurance that such resources, equipment and materials will be procured on time or not be delayed due to both the finite time and resources of our management and employees to assess and respond to these increased demands, and to circumstances beyond our control.

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Further, we need to hire a sufficient number of engineers, operators and other professionals to successfully design and operate the Independence Facility and the 10X Facility. It may be difficult for us to hire employees with the experience, education and skills needed to produce magnet materials, and we may need to hire employees from other countries if we cannot recruit employees in the U.S. We will also face competition for these employees. These challenges may be exacerbated by the need to develop multiple facilities at the same time.

There can be no assurance that we successfully produce magnet materials at the volumes and quality necessary to meet the requirements under our long-term supply agreements with the DoW, Apple, GM, and other customers. In the event we are not able to mitigate these risks or fail to comply with the terms of the DoW Transaction Agreements, particularly the DoW Offtake Agreement, and in particular, our supply agreements with Apple and GM, we may experience material adverse effects on our financial position and results of operations.

We may not be able to convert current commercial discussions with customers for the sale of our products into contracts, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.

Upon reaching anticipated production rates for REO and other planned midstream products at Mountain Pass, we expect to produce approximately 20,000 MTs of separated REO per year, which includes approximately 6,075 MTs of NdPr oxide per year, excluding cerium concentrate. Prior to reaching expected production rates for REO and other planned downstream products at Mountain Pass, we intend to enter into short- and long-term sales contracts with new customers. However, there can be no assurance that these customers will enter into sales contracts for REO. The failure to enter into such contracts may have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.

The financial, tax and accounting treatment of the DoW Transactions contemplated by the DoW Transaction Agreements involved significant judgment and may change.

Given both the novelty and complexity of the DoW Transactions, no assurance can be provided that the Company’s conclusions of the financial, tax and accounting implications of its commitments and obligations under the DoW Transaction Agreements will not require adjustment or amendment over time due to changes in tax law or regulations, accounting practices and requirements and unforeseen developments in the course of providing services and receiving cash flows relating to the DoW Transactions, particularly with respect to the DoW Offtake Agreement and the Price Protection Agreement, including with respect to the timing and characterization of payments received from the DoW, among other considerations. The DoW Transaction Agreements are also highly integrated, and certain of the obligations under each DoW Transaction Agreement are contingent upon or impacted by the terms and obligations of the others. If one or more of the DoW Transaction Agreements, or one or more elements of the DoW Transactions, were to be altered, amended or terminated, management would need to assess the financial, tax and accounting implications of such changes, which could be significant, together with any related remedies available to the Company and the present condition of its business and operations. We are unable to predict and may not be able to anticipate either these changes or the impact thereof, which may have a material and adverse impact on our business and financial position, including, but not limited to, material changes to our financial outlook, recharacterizations or restatements of our financials or adjustments to previously provided estimates or guidance.

Outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics could have an adverse effect on our business.

Outbreaks of infectious diseases, epidemics or pandemics can significantly impact the national and global economy and commodity and financial markets. Impacts may include, among other things, extreme volatility in financial markets, a slowdown in economic activity, extreme volatility in commodity prices and a global recession. Outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics may lead to significant restrictions on travel, temporary business closures, quarantines, and a general reduction in consumer activity and sentiment globally and may impact our business and operations by, among others, increasing the cost of operations, causing shipping delays, reducing employee productivity, limiting travel of our personnel, adversely affecting the health and welfare of our personnel, or preventing or delaying important third-party service providers from performing normal and contracted activities crucial to the operation of our business.

Decisions beyond our control, such as canceled events, restricted travel, barriers to entry, temporary closures or limited availability of county, state or federal government agencies, or other factors may affect our ability to perform mining operations, corporate activities, and other actions that would normally be accomplished without such limitations. The extent to which an outbreak, epidemic or pandemic will impact our operations, our business and the economy is highly uncertain and will also depend on future developments that cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of the disease, the duration and spread of the outbreak, including the spread of variants, the scope of travel restrictions imposed, mandatory or voluntary business closures, the impact on businesses and financial and capital markets, and the extent and effectiveness of actions taken throughout the world to contain the virus or treat its impact, including the effectiveness and

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availability of vaccines. We cannot predict the impact of an outbreak, epidemic or pandemic, but it may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

A power outage or shortage at Mountain Pass or Independence could temporarily delay mining, processing, and manufacturing operations and increase costs, which may materially adversely impact our business.

Our facilities at Mountain Pass are currently powered by a natural gas-fired combined heat and power (“CHP”) plant that produces electricity and steam and eliminates reliance on the regional electric power grid. Operation of the CHP plant is necessary to support the entire energy demand of our upstream and midstream operations. While we believe that the CHP plant will provide sufficient electricity and steam to operate our existing facilities at Mountain Pass, there can be no assurance that there will not be intermittent interruptions in the ability to produce electricity and steam, including due to equipment failure, maintenance issues or interruptions in the supply of natural gas. In addition, our Independence Facility is powered by electricity and natural gas. Instability in electrical supply could cause sporadic outages or brownouts at Mountain Pass and the Independence Facility. Any such outages or brownouts could have a negative impact on our production. If the CHP plant is unable to provide sufficient energy for the operation of Mountain Pass or if additional growth projects require energy needs in excess of CHP capacity, we may be required to obtain electricity from a single utility company in Southern California. We could incur higher operating costs, remain subject to the effects of occasional grid power outages and brownouts, and could experience temporary interruptions of processing operations. As a result, our revenue could be adversely impacted and our relationships with our customers could suffer, adversely impacting our ability to generate future revenue and otherwise perform our contractual obligations.

Increasing costs or limited access to raw materials may adversely affect our profitability.

At Mountain Pass, we use significant amounts of chemical reagents to process REE and expect to use a significant amount of raw materials in the production of magnets at Independence. Though we may enter into long-term purchase agreements, chemical reagents and other raw materials sourced from third parties may be subject to significant volatility in cost and availability. In addition, third parties may not honor their agreements with us and/or declare force majeure, and as a result, we may need to obtain such chemical reagents from other parties at higher costs and expense and there may be a delay in obtaining such chemical reagents. Further, supply chains reliant on sea vessels, trains, and/or trucks may subject us to transportation delays in obtaining these chemical reagents. We also may not be able to store such chemical reagents or other raw materials without incurring substantial costs. We may not be able to pass increased costs for these chemical reagents or other raw materials through to our customers in the form of price increases. The Mountain Pass site includes a currently idle chlor-alkali facility that we are committed to recommissioning as part of our partnership with the DoW to produce hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and sodium hypochlorite. A significant increase in the price or decrease in the availability of these chemicals before we potentially restart our production of them on-site, or restrictions imposed by environmental regulations or law on chemical use, could materially increase our operating costs and adversely affect our profit margins and production volumes. There can be no assurance that we will be able to purchase the necessary chemical reagents or other raw materials from third parties on terms that are acceptable to us. In addition, there are risks associated with the recommissioning and construction of our chlor-alkali facility, including safety and operational risks. The failure to obtain chemical reagents or other raw materials as needed and the failure to safely operate the chlor-alkali facility will have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations.

Fluctuations in transportation costs or disruptions in transportation services or damage or loss during transport could decrease our competitiveness or impair our ability to supply REE or magnet products to our customers, which could adversely affect our results of operations.

We currently transport our NdPr oxide products via ocean freight to customers and tollers. In the past, there have been backlogs of container ships off the coast of Southern California that delayed shipments in and out of the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, the primary ports that we use to ship our rare earth products. While we managed to mitigate these intermittent delays in shipping rare earth products through these ports, our ability to continue to maintain stable shipments may be impacted if port delays due to congestion return or worsen.

In addition, we may in the future need to transport our products to additional customers and other tollers wherever they may be located. Finding affordable and dependable transportation is necessary for us to be able to supply customers around the world. Labor disputes, embargoes, government restrictions, work stoppages, pandemics, derailments, accidents, damage or loss events, adverse weather conditions, other environmental events, seasonal changes in supply and demand for transportation, changes to rail, highway, or ocean freight systems, domestic or international laws or regulations, permits or other approvals, or other events and activities beyond our control could interrupt or limit available transport services, which could result in customer dissatisfaction, delays in meeting contractual delivery requirements, and loss of sales, and could materially adversely

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affect our results of operations. Such events and conditions, including flooding and other natural disasters, could also impact the facilities of our customers which could have a material adverse effect on our ability to deliver our product to our customers.

We need to process REE to exacting specifications in order to provide our current and future customers with a consistently high-quality product. An inability to process REO that meet individual customer specifications may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

In our midstream operations, we must be able to process REE to meet exacting and ever-stricter customer needs and specifications. We have limited experience running and are still scaling our midstream operations. In the event that certain equipment fails to consistently perform as designed or we are unable to maintain consistent product quality, we may struggle to meet individual customer specifications, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations. In addition, customer needs and specifications may change with time. Any delay or failure in developing processes to meet changing customer needs and specifications may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition or results of operations.

Diminished access to water may adversely affect our operations.

Processing of REO requires significant amounts of water. The technology we currently use to beneficiate REO is a sustainable process with dry tailings that limits the need for freshwater usage. Although we believe our current process is sustainable, any disruption in the process could prompt the need for significant access to freshwater. Additionally, with the commencement of our midstream operations in 2023, we require an even greater amount of water for our CHP plant, separation and extraction processes, and product finishing operations, including significant demand for highly-pure water. We maintain and operate one water supply well field for potable and process water and own land and wells in another water supply well field that we may be able to operate in the future. In addition, significant volumes of water are recycled from process brine to reduce groundwater usage. Any disruption to our current process, including our water treatment plant used to make highly-pure water, decreases in available water supply, or inability to recycle sufficient volumes of distillate may have a material adverse effect on our operations and our financial condition or results of operations.

Uncertainty in our estimates of REO reserves could result in lower-than-expected revenues and higher-than-expected costs.

We base our REO reserve estimates on engineering, economic and geological data assembled and analyzed by outside firms, which are reviewed by our engineers and geologists. Ore reserve estimates, however, are necessarily imprecise and depend to some extent on professional interpretation, including statistical inferences drawn from available drilling data, which may prove unreliable. There are numerous uncertainties inherent in estimating quantities and qualities of REO reserves and costs to mine recoverable reserves, including many factors beyond our control. Estimates of economically recoverable REO reserves necessarily depend upon a number of variable factors and assumptions, all of which may vary considerably from actual results, such as:

•geological, mining and processing conditions and/or effects from prior mining that may not be fully identified by available data or that may differ from experience;

•changes to the strategic approach to mining and processing the deposit depending upon market demand, corporate strategy and other prevailing economic conditions;

•assumptions concerning future prices of rare earth products, foreign exchange rates, process recovery rates, transportation costs, operating costs, capital costs and reclamation costs; and

•assumptions concerning future effects of regulation, including the issuance of required permits and taxes by governmental agencies and foreign government policies relating to the import or export of rare earth products.

Uncertainty in our estimates related to our REO reserves, including incorrect assumptions or imprecise geological data or interpretation of such data, could result in actual reserves being less than estimated, which could lead to lower-than-expected revenues and a shortened estimated life-of-mine for Mountain Pass. Higher-than-expected costs could also negatively impact the value of our reserves. Fluctuations in factors out of our control, such as changes in future product pricing, foreign government policies on the import or export of rare earths and foreign exchange rates, can also have a significant impact on the estimates of reserves and can result in significant changes in the quantum of our reserves period-to-period.

Period-to-period conversion of probable REO reserves to proven reserves may result in increases or decreases to the total reported amount of ore reserves. Conversion rates are affected by a number of factors, including geological variability, applicable mining methods and changes in safe mining practices, economic considerations and new regulatory requirements.

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Our profitability could be adversely affected if we fail to maintain satisfactory labor relations; work stoppages or similar difficulties could significantly disrupt our operations, reduce our revenues and materially adversely affect our results of operations.

Production at Mountain Pass and Independence is dependent upon the efforts of our employees. Although none of our employees are currently subject to any collective bargaining arrangements, our employees could, in the future, choose to be represented as a collective unit, which may result in labor disputes, work stoppages or other disruptions in our production efforts that could adversely affect us.

A work stoppage by any of the third parties providing services in connection with construction projects at Mountain Pass or Independence could significantly delay the completion of such projects and disrupt our operations, reduce our revenues, and materially adversely affect our results of operations.

We depend on our senior management team and other key personnel, and the loss of such personnel or an inability to attract and retain skilled employees could adversely affect our business.

We depend on the services of our senior management team and other key personnel, whose experience, relationships and leadership are critical to the execution of our strategy, including the operation and expansion of our mining, separation and magnet manufacturing activities. The loss of the services of any member of senior management could disrupt our operations, delay the execution of strategic initiatives and adversely affect our business.

In addition, efficient production of rare earth products, magnets and magnetic precursor products using modern techniques and equipment requires skilled technicians, engineers, operators and other specialized personnel. Our optimization and downstream efforts will significantly increase our need for such personnel, and competition for these employees may be intense. If we are unable to hire, train and retain qualified personnel, or if we are unable to replace senior management or other key employees on acceptable terms or in a timely manner, our labor costs could increase and our ability to reach anticipated production levels or execute our long-term strategy could be adversely affected. Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Because of the dangers involved in the mining of minerals and the manufacture of mineral products, there is a risk that we may incur liability or damages as we conduct our business.

The mining of minerals and the manufacture of mineral products involve numerous hazards that could cause bodily harm or environmental damage and subject us to liability. These hazards include: (i) unusual and unexpected rock formations affecting ore or wall rock characteristics; (ii) ground or slope failures of the open-pit mine, overburden stockpiles, and/or tailings disposal areas; (iii) environmental hazards; (iv) industrial accidents and/or processing upsets; (v) periodic interruptions due to inclement or hazardous weather conditions or other acts of God; and (vi) mechanical equipment failure and facility performance problems.

Although we maintain insurance to address certain risks involved in our business, such as coverage for property damage, business interruption, natural disasters, terrorism and workers’ compensation, there can be no assurance that our coverage will be adequate for liabilities incurred or that insurance will continue to be available to us on economically reasonable terms. Additionally, we cannot be certain that all claims we may make under our insurance policies will be deemed to be within the scope of, or fully covered by, our policies. We might also become subject to liability for environmental issues, damage or other hazards that may be uninsurable or for which we may elect not to insure because of premium costs or commercial impracticality. These policies contain limits of coverage and exclusions that are typical of such policies generally. The payment of such premiums, or the assumption of such liabilities, may have a material adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations.

Our facilities or operations could be adversely affected by events outside of our control, such as natural disasters or wars.

We may be impacted by natural disasters, wars, or other events outside of our control. For example, Mountain Pass is located in San Bernardino County, California, near active faults, which could lead to nearby earthquakes. If major disasters such as earthquakes, wildfires, floods or other events occur, or our information system or communications network breaks down or operates improperly, our ability to continue operations at Mountain Pass or Independence may be seriously damaged, or we may have to stop or delay production and shipment of our products. We may incur expenses or delays relating to such events outside of our control, which could have a material adverse impact on our business, operating results and financial condition.

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We are dependent upon information technology systems, which are subject to cyber threats, disruption, damage and failure.

We depend upon information technology systems in the conduct of our operations. Our information technology systems are subject to disruption, damage or failure from a variety of sources, including, without limitation, computer viruses, security breaches, cyber-attacks, natural disasters and defects in design. Cybersecurity incidents, in particular, are evolving and include, but are not limited to, malicious software, attempts to gain unauthorized access to data and other electronic security breaches that could lead to disruptions in systems, unauthorized release of confidential or otherwise protected information or the corruption of data. In addition, malicious actors may leverage increasingly sophisticated, artificial intelligence-driven techniques to attempt to gain unauthorized access to our networks, compromise personal or confidential information, or misappropriate intellectual property. We have implemented various measures to manage our risks related to information technology systems and network disruptions. However, given the unpredictability of the timing, nature and scope of information technology disruptions, we have been in the past or could potentially be subject to downtimes, operational delays, the compromising of confidential or otherwise protected information, destruction or corruption of data, security breaches, other manipulation or improper use of our systems and networks or financial losses from remedial actions, any of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, operating results and financial condition.

Risks Related to Environmental Regulation

Our operations are subject to extensive and costly environmental requirements; current and future laws, regulations and permits impose significant costs, liabilities or obligations or could limit or prevent our ability to continue our current operations or to undertake new operations.

We are subject to numerous and detailed federal, state and local environmental laws, certifications, regulations, permits, and other legal requirements applicable to the mining and mineral processing industry, including, without limitation, those pertaining to employee health and safety, air emissions, water usage, wastewater and stormwater discharges, air quality standards, GHG emissions, waste management, plant and wildlife protection, handling and disposal of hazardous and radioactive substances and waste, remediation of soil and groundwater contamination, land use, reclamation and restoration of properties, the discharge of materials into the environment, procurement of certain materials used in our operations, and groundwater quality and availability. These requirements may result in significant costs, liabilities and obligations, impose conditions that are difficult to achieve or otherwise delay, limit or prohibit current or planned operations and future growth. Consequently, the modernization and expansion of Mountain Pass and the development of the Independence Facility and the 10X Facility may be delayed, limited or prevented and current operations may be curtailed. Failure to comply with these laws, regulations and permits, including as they evolve, may result in the assessment of administrative, civil and criminal penalties, the issuance of injunctions to limit or cease operations, fines, or the suspension or revocation of permits and other sanctions. Pursuant to such requirements, we may also be subject to third-party claims, including for damages to property or injury to persons arising from our operations. Moreover, environmental legislation and regulation are evolving in a manner that may impose stricter standards and enforcement, increased fines and penalties for non-compliance, cessation of operations, more stringent environmental assessments, and a heightened degree of responsibility for companies and their officers, directors and employees. In addition, mine safety has been the subject of increasing scrutiny resulting in federal and state legislatures and other regulatory authorities imposing more stringent regulatory requirements on mining operations. Any changes in environmental laws, regulations or permits (or the interpretation or enforcement thereof) or any sanctions, damages, costs, obligations or liabilities in respect of these matters could have a material adverse effect on our business and/or the results of our operations and financial condition.

Our operations use hazardous materials and generate hazardous waste and radioactive byproducts. While we maintain procedures for and conduct training on the handling and disposing of chemicals or other substances by our personnel, risks, including bodily injury and property damage, persist. Moreover, mining and processing of rare earths has occurred at Mountain Pass since 1952, and contamination is known to exist around the facility. We may be subject to claims under environmental laws, for toxic torts, natural resource damage and other liabilities, as well as for the investigation and remediation of soil, surface water, groundwater and other environmental media. Mountain Pass is subject to an order issued by the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, primarily related to contamination emanating from certain on-site impoundments active during prior periods of operation, pursuant to which we and previous owners have conducted various investigatory and remedial actions. These remedial activities include groundwater monitoring, extraction and treatment. We are still in the process of delineating the extent of groundwater contamination at and around Mountain Pass and cannot assure you that we will not incur material costs relating to the remediation of such contamination. In addition to claims arising out of our current or former properties, such claims may arise in connection with contaminated third-party sites at which we have disposed of waste. Under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, and analogous state statutes, our liability for claims for contamination at our current or former properties, and at third-party sites at which we disposed of waste, may be

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joint and several, so that we may be held responsible for more than our share of any contamination, or even for the entire share. These and similar unforeseen impacts that our operations may have on the environment, as well as human exposure to hazardous or radioactive materials or wastes, could have a material adverse effect on our business, reputation, results of operations and financial condition.

In connection with our current and future operations and growth plans, we may need to amend or obtain additional permits that impose strict requirements relating to various environmental and health and safety matters. To obtain certain permits, we may be required to conduct environmental studies and present data to governmental authorities pertaining to the potential impact of our current and future operations upon the environment and take steps to avoid or mitigate those impacts, particularly impacts to desert flora and fauna. Furthermore, the permitting processes and development of supporting materials, including any environmental impact statements, may be costly and time-consuming. These permit processes and requirements, and the interpretation and enforcement thereof, change frequently, and any such future changes could materially adversely affect our mining operations and results of operations. In some cases, the public (including environmental interest groups) has the right to comment upon, and submit objections to, permit applications and environmental impact statements prepared in connection therewith, and otherwise participate in the permitting process, including challenging the issuance of permits. Accordingly, permits required for our operations, including the modernization and expansion of Mountain Pass, may not be issued, maintained, amended or renewed in a timely fashion or at all, or may be issued or renewed upon conditions that restrict our ability to conduct operations. Any such failure to obtain, maintain, amend or renew permits, or other permitting delays, including in connection with any environmental impact analyses, could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition or otherwise impose significant restrictions on our ability to conduct our business.

Legislation and increased regulation regarding climate change could impose significant costs on us and our suppliers, including costs related to increased energy requirements, capital equipment, environmental monitoring, permitting, reporting and other costs to comply with such regulations. Largely as a result of the operation of our CHP plant, our emissions of greenhouse gases exceed thresholds required for inclusion in California’s cap-and-trade program. As such, allowances will be directly allocated to us annually, with fluctuations based on energy usage and regulatory provisions. We expect that our emissions will continue to increase as our separations production ramps, which would require us to purchase additional allowances, with the price of allowances subject to market volatility. Any adopted future climate change regulations could negatively impact our ability to compete with companies situated in areas and countries not subject to such limitations. Given the political significance, regulatory or compliance obligations and uncertainty around the impact of climate change and how it should be addressed, we cannot predict how legislation and regulation will affect our financial condition, operating performance and ability to compete. Furthermore, even without such regulation, increased awareness and any adverse publicity in the global marketplace, including the investing community, about potential impacts on climate change by us or other companies in our industry could harm our reputation or our access to capital. The potential physical impacts of climate change on our operations are highly uncertain and would be particular to the geographic circumstances in areas in which we operate. These impacts may adversely affect the cost, production and financial performance of our operations.

Our inability to acquire, maintain or renew financial assurances related to the reclamation and restoration of mining property, or inaccuracies in the assumption underlying our reclamation plan and mine closure obligations, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Under the California Surface Mining and Reclamation Act, we are generally obligated to restore property after it has been mined in accordance with regulatory standards and our approved mining plan. Additionally, we are required under various federal, state, and local laws to maintain financial assurances, such as surety bonds, to secure such obligations. The failure to acquire, maintain or renew such assurances, as required by federal, state, and local laws, could subject us to fines and penalties as well as the revocation of our mining permits. Such failure could result from a variety of factors, including:

•the lack of availability, higher expense or unreasonable terms of such financial assurances;

•the ability of current and future financial assurance counterparties to increase required collateral; and

•the exercise by third-party financial assurance counterparties of any rights to refuse to renew the financial assurance instruments.

It has become increasingly difficult for mining companies to secure new or renew existing surety bonds without posting partial or full collateral to secure the bonds. In addition, the cost to obtain surety bonds has increased while the market terms of the surety bonds generally have become less favorable. It is possible that surety bond issuers may refuse to provide or renew bonds or may demand additional collateral upon the issuance or renewal of the bonds. Our inability to acquire or failure to maintain or renew such bonds or other financial assurances could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

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Federal, state, and local laws and regulations establish reclamation and closure standards applicable to our surface mining and other operations as well. Estimates of our total reclamation and mine closing liabilities are based upon our reclamation plan, third-party expert reports, current applicable laws and regulations, certain permit terms, our engineering expertise related to these requirements and review by regulatory agencies. Any change in the underlying assumptions, permissions, or other variation between the estimated liabilities and actual costs could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.

Risks Related to Our Common Stock

Our stock price has experienced, and may in the future experience, volatility, and you could lose all or part of your investment as a result.

The trading price of our common stock has historically experienced, and may continue to experience, significant volatility, which could cause you to lose all or part of your investment. You may not be able to resell your shares at an attractive price due to a number of factors such as those listed in “Risks Relating to our Business and Industry” above and the following: (a) fluctuations in demand for, and prices of, REE and magnet products; (b) results of operations that vary from the expectations of securities analysts and investors; (c) changes in expectations as to the Company’s future financial performance, including financial estimates and investment recommendations by securities analysts and investors; (d) declines in the market prices of stocks generally and market prices of mining-related companies in particular; (e) strategic actions by the Company or its competitors; (f) announcements by the Company or its competitors of significant contracts, acquisitions, joint ventures, other strategic relationships or capital commitments; (g) any significant change in the Company’s management; (h) changes in general economic or market conditions or trends in the Company’s industry or markets; (i) changes in business or regulatory conditions, including new laws or regulations or new interpretations of existing laws or regulations applicable to the Company’s business; (j) future sales of the Company’s common stock or other securities; (k) investor perceptions of the investment opportunity associated with the Company’s common stock relative to other investment alternatives; (l) the public’s response to press releases or other public announcements by the Company or third parties, including the Company’s filings with the SEC; (m) litigation involving the Company, the Company’s industry, or both, or investigations by regulators into the Company’s operations or those of our competitors; (n) guidance, if any, that the Company provides to the public, any changes in this guidance or the Company’s failure to meet this guidance; (o) the development and sustainability of an active trading market for the Company’s stock; (p) actions by institutional or activist stockholders; (q) declines in the market price of our stock as a result of negative reports on the Company by research firms that engage in short selling; (r) changes in accounting standards, policies, guidelines, interpretations or principles; and (s) other events or factors, including those resulting from natural disasters, war, acts of terrorism, health pandemics or responses to these events.

Volatility in our stock price could adversely affect our business and financing opportunities. These broad market and industry fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our common stock, regardless of the Company’s actual operating performance. In addition, price volatility may be greater if the public float and trading volume of our common stock is low.

In the past, following periods of market volatility, stockholders have instituted securities class action litigation. If the Company was involved in securities litigation, it could have a substantial cost and divert resources and the attention of executive management from the Company’s business regardless of the outcome of such litigation.

Because there are no current plans to pay cash dividends on our common stock for the foreseeable future, you may not receive any return on investment unless you sell your common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

We intend to retain future earnings, if any, for future operations, expansion and debt repayment and there are no current plans to pay any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. The declaration, amount and payment of any future dividends on shares of our common stock will be at the sole discretion of our Board. Our Board may take into account general and economic conditions, our financial condition and results of operations, our available cash and current and anticipated cash needs, capital requirements, contractual, legal, tax, and regulatory restrictions, implications on the payment of dividends to our stockholders or by our subsidiaries to us and such other factors as our Board may deem relevant. In addition, our ability to pay dividends may be limited by covenants of any future indebtedness we incur. As a result, you may not receive any return on an investment in our common stock unless you sell our common stock for a price greater than that which you paid for it.

Future sales, or the perception of future sales, by us or our stockholders in the public market could cause the market price for our common stock to decline.

The sale of shares of common stock in the public market, or the perception that such sales could occur, could harm the prevailing market price of shares of common stock. These sales, or the possibility that these sales may occur, also might make it more difficult for us to sell equity securities in the future at a time and at a price that we deem appropriate.

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In the future, we may also issue our securities in connection with investments or acquisitions. The amount of shares of common stock issued in connection with an investment or acquisition could constitute a material portion of our then-outstanding shares of common stock. Any issuance of additional securities in connection with investments or acquisitions may result in additional dilution to our stockholders.

Anti-takeover provisions in our organizational documents could delay or prevent a change of control.

Certain provisions of our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation and Amended and Restated Bylaws may have an anti-takeover effect and may delay, defer or prevent a merger, acquisition, tender offer, takeover attempt or other change of control transaction that a stockholder might consider in its best interest, including those attempts that might result in a premium over the market price for the shares held by our stockholders.

These provisions provide for, among other things: (i) no cumulative voting with respect to the election of our Board; (ii) the division of our Board into three classes, with only one class of directors being elected in each year; (iii) the ability of our Board to issue one or more series of preferred stock; (iv) advance notice for nominations of directors by stockholders and for stockholders to include matters to be considered at our annual meetings; (v) certain limitations on convening special stockholder meetings; (vi) limiting the ability of stockholders to act by written consent; (vii) the ability of our Board to fill a vacancy created by the expansion of the board of directors or the resignation, death, or removal of a director in certain circumstances; (viii) providing that our Board is expressly authorized to make, alter or repeal our bylaws; (ix) the removal of directors only for cause; and (x) that certain provisions may be amended only by the affirmative vote of at least 66.7% of the shares of common stock entitled to vote generally in the election of our directors.

These anti-takeover provisions could make it more difficult for a third party to acquire us, even if the third party’s offer may be considered beneficial by many of our stockholders. As a result, our stockholders may be limited in their ability to obtain a premium for their shares. These provisions could also discourage proxy contests and make it more difficult for you and other stockholders to elect directors of your choosing and to cause us to take other corporate actions you desire.

Our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation designates the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware as the sole and exclusive forum for certain types of actions and proceedings that may be initiated by our stockholders, which could limit our stockholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for disputes with us or our directors, officers, employees or stockholders.

The Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that, subject to limited exceptions, any (i) derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Company, (ii) action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any director, officer, stockholder or employee to the Company or its stockholders, (iii) action asserting a claim arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware General Corporation Law or our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation or our Amended and Restated Bylaws or (iv) action asserting a claim governed by the internal affairs doctrine shall, to the fullest extent permitted by law, be exclusively brought in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware or, if such court does not have subject matter jurisdiction thereof, another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware. The Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation also provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, the federal district courts of the United States of America will be the exclusive forum for resolving any complaint asserting a cause of action arising under the U.S. federal securities laws, including the Securities Act and the Exchange Act. Additionally, investors cannot waive our compliance with federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in shares of our capital stock shall be deemed to have notice of and to have consented to the provisions of our certificate of incorporation described above. This choice of forum provision may limit a stockholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with the Company or its directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage such lawsuits against the Company and its directors, officers and employees. There is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such an exclusive forum provision with respect to claims under the Securities Act. If a court were to find these provisions of our Second Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation inapplicable to, or unenforceable in respect of, one or more of the specified types of actions or proceedings, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving such matters in other jurisdictions, which could adversely affect our business and financial condition.

The conversion or exercise of the Series A Preferred Stock and the Warrant into shares of common stock would dilute the ownership of our common stock, and the subsequent sale of a substantial number of such shares of common stock in the public market, or the perception of such sales, could cause our stock price to fall.

The shares of common stock into which the shares of Series A Preferred Stock are initially convertible and for which the Warrant is initially exercisable collectively represented 15% of the Company’s issued and outstanding common stock prior to the DoW Transactions, without giving effect to the issuance of such shares. The Series A Preferred Stock and the Warrant are

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convertible and exercisable at any time and from time to time at the election of the DoW. Further, at any time after the five-year anniversary of issuance, if the closing price per share of our common stock exceeds 150% of the then-current conversion price for at least twenty trading days in any period of thirty consecutive trading days, we will have the option to require all or any portion of the then-outstanding Series A Preferred Stock be converted into common stock at the then-current conversion price, subject to certain conditions. As such, existing common stockholders, including holders of shares of common stock offered hereby, may experience substantial dilution of their ownership positions.

Furthermore, the sale of a substantial number of shares of our common stock in the public market, or the perception that these sales might occur, including of the shares issuable upon conversion and exercise of the Series A Preferred Stock and the Warrant, could depress the market price of our common stock and could impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. We are unable to predict the effect that sales may have on the prevailing market price of our common stock.

Increased scrutiny regarding our sustainability practices could impact our reputation and our stock price.

Expectations regarding environmental, social and governance matters are evolving rapidly and are often subjective, inconsistent and influenced by differing stakeholder priorities. Although we have published a sustainability report and have policies addressing a range of sustainability matters, we may not be able to meet all current or future expectations, or may face criticism for the timing, scope or perceived effectiveness of our initiatives.

In addition, organizations that inform investors on such matters have developed rating systems for evaluating companies on their approach to sustainability, and unfavorable ratings may lead to negative investor sentiment. Any failure, or perceived failure, to effectively manage sustainability-related risks or respond to evolving expectations could increase our costs, harm our reputation, and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and the market price of our common stock.

Risks Relating to Our Indebtedness

The conditional conversion features of our Convertible Notes, if triggered, may adversely affect our financial condition and operating results.

For our 2030 Notes, at our election, we may settle notes tendered for conversion entirely or partly in shares of our common stock. For our 2026 Notes, we have irrevocably elected to fix the settlement method for all conversions whereby the principal must be repaid in cash and any consideration in excess of par would be settled in shares of our common stock. In the event the conditional conversion features of our Convertible Notes are triggered, holders of the Convertible Notes will be entitled to convert them at any time during specified periods at their option. If one or more holders elect to convert their Convertible Notes, unless we elect to satisfy our conversion obligation by delivering solely shares of our common stock (other than paying cash in lieu of delivering any fractional share), which only applies to the 2030 Notes, we would be required to settle a portion or all of our conversion obligation through the payment of cash, which could adversely affect our liquidity. In addition, even if holders do not elect to convert their Convertible Notes, we could be required under applicable accounting rules to reclassify all or a portion of the outstanding principal of the 2030 Notes as a current rather than long-term liability, which would result in a material reduction of our net working capital.

Conversion of our Convertible Notes may dilute the ownership interest of our stockholders or may otherwise depress the price of our common stock.

The conversion of some or all of our Convertible Notes may dilute the ownership interests of our stockholders. Any sales in the public market of our common stock issuable upon such conversion could adversely affect prevailing market prices of our common stock. In addition, the existence of the Convertible Notes may encourage short selling by market participants that engage in hedging or arbitrage activity, and anticipated conversion of the notes into shares of our common stock could depress the price of our common stock.

Certain provisions in the indentures governing the Convertible Notes may delay or prevent an otherwise beneficial takeover attempt of us.

Certain provisions in the indentures governing the Convertible Notes may make it more difficult or expensive for a third party to acquire us. For example, each of the indentures governing the Convertible Notes requires us to repurchase the notes for cash upon the occurrence of a fundamental change (as defined in each of the indentures governing the Convertible Notes) of us and, in certain circumstances, to increase the conversion rate for a holder that converts their Convertible Notes in connection with a make-whole fundamental change (as defined in each of the indentures governing the Convertible Notes). A takeover of

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us may trigger the requirement that we repurchase the Convertible Notes and/or increase the conversion rate, which could make it more costly for a potential acquirer to engage in such takeover. Such additional costs may have the effect of delaying or preventing a takeover of us that would otherwise be beneficial to investors.

Servicing our debt requires a significant amount of cash, and we may not have sufficient cash flow from our business to pay our debt.

Our ability to make scheduled payments of the principal of, to pay interest on, or to refinance our indebtedness, including our Convertible Notes, depends on our future performance, which is subject to economic, financial, competitive and other factors beyond our control. In addition, holders of the Convertible Notes will have the right to require us to repurchase their notes for cash upon the occurrence of certain fundamental changes. Upon conversion of the Convertible Notes, unless we elect to deliver solely shares of our common stock to settle such conversion of 2030 Notes (other than paying cash in lieu of delivering any fractional share), we will be required to make cash payments in respect of the notes being converted. Our business may not continue to generate cash flow from operations in the future sufficient to service our debt and make necessary capital expenditures. If we are unable to generate such cash flow, we may be required to adopt one or more alternatives, such as selling assets, restructuring debt or obtaining additional equity capital on terms that may be onerous or highly dilutive. Our ability to refinance our indebtedness will depend on the capital markets and our financial condition at such time. We may not be able to engage in any of these activities or engage in these activities on desirable terms, which could result in a default on our debt obligations.

We are subject to counterparty risk with respect to the Capped Call Options.

In connection with the offering of our 2030 Notes in March 2024, we entered into capped call transactions (the “Capped Call Options”) with certain financial institutions (“Counterparties”), which increased the effective conversion price of the 2030 Notes to $31.06 (from the nominal conversion price of $21.74). Consequently, the Capped Call Options are intended, subject to the Company’s discretion and depending on whether it elects to exercise its rights under such options, to reduce the potential dilution upon conversion of the 2030 Notes and/or offset any cash payments we are required to make in excess of the principal amount of the converted 2030 Notes upon their conversion.

The Counterparties are financial institutions, and we will be subject to the risk that any or all of them might default under the Capped Call Options. Our exposure to the credit risk of the Counterparties will not be secured by any collateral. Global economic conditions have from time to time resulted in the actual or perceived failure or financial difficulties of many financial institutions. If an option counterparty becomes subject to insolvency proceedings, we will become an unsecured creditor in those proceedings with a claim equal to our exposure at that time under our transactions with that option counterparty. Our exposure will depend on many factors, but, generally, an increase in our exposure will be correlated to an increase in the market price and in the volatility of our common stock. In addition, upon a default by an option counterparty, we may suffer adverse tax consequences and more dilution than we currently anticipate with respect to our common stock. We can provide no assurances as to the financial stability or viability of any option counterparty.

In addition, the terms of the Capped Call Options may be subject to adjustment, modification or, in some cases, renegotiation in the event of certain corporate and other transactions. The Capped Call Options may not operate as we intend in the event that we are required to adjust the terms of such instruments as a result of transactions in the future or in the event of other unanticipated developments that may adversely affect the functioning of the Capped Call Options.

Our Credit Agreement contains certain restrictive covenants, and if we are unable to comply with these covenants, then the lenders could declare an event of default wherein we may need to immediately repay the amounts due under the Credit Agreement.

The Credit Agreement is subject to financial covenants that are tested at the end of each fiscal quarter. From the inception of the Credit Agreement until the earlier of the fiscal quarter in which Consolidated EBITDA (as calculated and defined in the Credit Agreement) of the Company equals or exceeds $400.0 million for the test period and the fiscal quarter ending June 30, 2027 (the “Covenant Trigger Event”), the Company must maintain unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of at least $500.0 million. Following the Covenant Trigger Event, the Company is required to maintain a total leverage ratio of less than 4.00:1.00, or 4.50:1.00 for the fiscal quarter of and the three consecutive fiscal quarters following any material acquisition, and a cash interest coverage ratio greater than 3.0:1.0.

The Credit Agreement is guaranteed by the Company and its subsidiaries, subject to certain customary exceptions. Failure to comply with any of the covenants associated with the Credit Agreement could result in a default under its agreements. Such a default would permit lenders to accelerate the maturity of the debt and to foreclose upon any collateral securing such debt. Accordingly, the terms of the Credit Agreement may restrict our current and future operations and could adversely affect our

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ability to finance our future operations or capital needs. In addition, complying with these covenants may make it more difficult for us to successfully execute our business strategy and compete against companies which are not subject to such restrictions.