Trump tells Pentagon to find better sources of rare earth magnet
Source: Reuters
POLITICS JULY 22, 2019 / 7:31 PM / UPDATED 7 HOURS AGO
Trump tells Pentagon to find better sources of rare earth magnet
Ernest Scheyder
2 MIN READ
(Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday told the Pentagon to find better ways to procure a rare earth magnet used in specialty motors, warning that the nations defense would suffer without adequate stockpiles.
Attention is growing on rare earths, an obscure grouping of 17 minerals used to build weapons, consumer electronics and a range of other goods. There are no known substitutes.
Trump said that the United States did not have enough capacity to make samarium cobalt rare earth permanent magnets, which can withstand high temperatures and are resistant to corrosion. They are commonly found in precision-guided missiles, smart bombs and military jets.
The order came as part of a letter to Congressional committee leaders, as required under the Defense Production Act (DPA), a 1950s-era U.S. law that gives the president and Pentagon wide berth to procure equipment necessary for the national defense.
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https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-rareearths-trump/trump-tells-pentagon-to-find-better-sources-of-rare-earth-magnet-idUSKCN1UH2L4