Apple is promising the Earth – literally. The company has just announced a $500 million deal to invest in American-made rare earth materials essential to iPhone production. The partnership involves building a state-of-the-art magnet manufacturing facility in Texas, and a pioneering recycling plant in California.
The recycling facility in California will process rare earth elements from discarded electronics, building upon Apple’s existing recycling initiatives, which date back to the introduction of recycled rare-earth magnets with the iPhone 11 in 2019. Today, nearly all magnets in Apple products are made from recycled materials.
Apple CEO Tim Cook emphasized the company’s ongoing commitment, stating, “American innovation drives everything we do at Apple, and we’re proud to deepen our investment in the U.S. economy. Rare earth materials are essential for making advanced technology, and this partnership will help strengthen the supply of these vital materials here in the United States. We couldn’t be more excited about the future of American manufacturing, and we will continue to invest in the ingenuity, creativity, and innovative spirit of the American people.”
While the timing might suggest Apple is pandering to government demands – perhaps to shield itself from future tariffs – the underlying plan has likely been in motion for a while now. Apple has a long history of environmental initiatives and likes to have as much control over manufacturing as possible. A domestic supply chain would certainly help on both fronts.