OilPrice.com Commentary: Former Pentagon Chief of Staff Joins Strategic Rare Earth Firm

FN Media Group Presents Oilprice.com Market Commentary

NEW YORK, April 1, 2026 /CNW/ -- REalloys (ALOY) has appointed former U.S. Secretary of Defense's Chief of Staff Joe Kasper as chair of its advisory board, placing a senior defense supply chain official at the center of its push to build a U.S.-aligned rare earth metals platform as the country faces limited domestic supply and a hard 2027 deadline requiring U.S. defense systems to eliminate Chinese-sourced inputs. Kasper has been working inside the Pentagon on the exact supply chain breakdown REalloys is now trying to fix: the absence of U.S. capacity to produce rare earth metals at scale.  Companies mentioned in today's commentary includes:  Realloys Inc. (ALOY), MP Materials Corp (NYSE: MP), USA Rare Earth, Inc. (NASDAQ: USAR), Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU), Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. (NYSE: NMG), Compass Minerals International, Inc. (NYSE: CMP).

Kasper steps in alongside retired General Jack Keane and GM Defense President Stephen duMont, forming a group with direct reach into defense procurement, policy, and the industrial base the company is targeting. That matters because this is not a theoretical gap. The U.S. still lacks meaningful domestic capacity to convert rare earth oxides into the metals and alloys that actually go into weapons systems, and that bottleneck now has a fixed deadline.

The U.S. government is working on a fixed timeline. Beginning in 2027, defense procurement rules will require contractors to eliminate Chinese-origin rare earth materials across the supply chain, forcing a shift toward domestic or allied sources for the metals and magnet inputs used in weapons systems.

That shift centers on a part of the supply chain the U.S. still does not control at scale--the conversion of rare earth oxides into finished metals and magnet alloys used in defense systems and advanced manufacturing.

The Market is Tight and Split

For years, rare earth supply looked abundant because China kept the market saturated. Prices stayed low. Supply looked stable. That is no longer the case. Demand is rising at the same time supply is tightening. Electrification, defense procurement, and advanced manufacturing are all pulling on the same materials, with industry estimates from groups like the International Energy Agency and major mining firms pointing to demand doubling or tripling by the 2030s.

At the same time, China is using more of its own supply. A growing share of rare earth production is now consumed domestically across electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics, and electronics. That leaves less material available for export. The result is a split market. Prices outside China are already moving higher, with buyers paying a premium to secure non-Chinese supply. That premium reflects scarcity, not speculation.

This is the environment REalloys is building into. From its Euclid, Ohio facility, the company will convert rare earth oxides into metals and magnet-grade alloys–the step the United States still largely lacks at scale and the step that determines whether supply chains actually function.

That positioning sits directly inside the shift now underway. The old model, defined by cheap material flowing out of China, is breaking down. What is replacing it is a tighter market where supply security carries a cost.

The vulnerabilities are clear. When China has restricted exports in the past, the impact has moved through supply chains almost immediately, forcing manufacturers to scramble for materials that sit inside critical components. And the exposure extends well beyond defense. Rare earth magnets are embedded in electric vehicles, industrial automation, aerospace systems, and the hardware supporting data centers and artificial intelligence.

These materials now sit inside two of the fastest-growing parts of the global economy: electrification and digital infrastructure. One of the main problems is that the West built very little buffer for this. Now the timeline is fixed.

Beginning January 1, 2027, U.S. defense procurement rules will prohibit Chinese-origin rare earth materials across the entire supply chain, from mining and refining through metallization and magnet production.

In short, defense contractors and tech giants will need a qualified, non-Chinese source of supply. Upstream projects alone aren't enough. That is why companies with operating metallization capacity in North America are now moving into focus.

The Who's Who of Rare Earth Metals

Joe Kasper, former Chief of Staff to the U.S. Secretary of Defense. General Jack Keane, former Vice Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army. Stephen duMont, president of GM Defense …

At the board level, REalloys' has the Who's Who of rare earths and defense, tying the company directly into the institutions that control defense procurement. This is the Pentagon. This is GM Defense. This is the layer where suppliers are selected, qualified, and scaled into real programs. Beneath that layer is an operating platform already producing material.

REalloys runs its metallization operations out of Euclid, Ohio, where rare earth oxides convert into finished metals and magnet-grade alloys. This is the step that turns processed material into something a defense contractor can actually use; and it is still largely absent in the United States at scale.

The structure around it is already in place. The Saskatchewan Research Council produces separated oxides in Canada. Those materials move to Ohio, where REalloys will convert them into metals and alloys. Mine to metal, across an allied supply chain built to meet U.S. procurement requirements.

The company has secured that flow. REalloys has locked 80% of SRC's output under an offtake agreement, giving it control over one of the few emerging streams of heavy rare earth supply outside China.

The scale is defined. Phase 1 begins in 2027, targeting roughly 525 tonnes per year of NdPr metal, with dysprosium and terbium feeding into the same system. Phase 2 expands that into approximately 3,500 tonnes of NdPr metal, 200 tonnes of dysprosium metal, 45 tonnes of terbium metal, and around 20,000 tonnes of finished magnets. What comes next isn't a single project. It is a system being built in real time.

Supply is moving out of China, but it is not moving evenly. Material is being produced. Demand is already there. What determines whether that demand is met is whether the full chain exists to deliver usable metal at scale. That is where the next phase of this market is being decided. Allied supply chains are starting to take shape, from Canadian processing to U.S. metallization, but capacity remains limited and still expanding.

REalloys operates at the stage where that supply is converted into usable metal and alloy and can move into defense and industrial systems. As that capacity comes online, the companies that can deliver qualified material at scale will define how quickly that system closes, and who captures the pricing already emerging outside China.

Other resources companies to keep an eye on:

MP Materials (MP) is the operational backbone of America's domestic rare earth recycling and production ecosystem. Its Mountain Pass facility is designed as a closed-loop, zero-discharge operation that recycles more than one billion liters of water per year, and the company is now building out dedicated recycling infrastructure to accept post-consumer electronics and post-industrial scrap as feedstock for new magnets.

In July 2025, MP formalized its $500 million partnership with Apple, which will significantly expand the Independence facility's magnet production lines and establish a first-of-its-kind commercial rare earth recycling line in California. This collaboration, combined with substantial backing from the U.S. Department of Defense, positions MP as the central node of a fully integrated domestic supply chain all within the United States.

USA Rare Earth (USAR) has seen its notoriety soar in early 2026 following a massive $3.1 billion funding package involving both private capital and U.S. government loans. The company is developing the Round Top deposit in Texas, which is unique for its high concentration of heavy rare earths and lithium. This "multi-commodity" approach allows USAR to serve both the EV battery market and the defense industrial base simultaneously.

The company's immediate focus is the operationalization of its magnet manufacturing facility in Stillwater, Oklahoma. By "de-risking" the transition from mining to finished magnets, USAR is attempting to create a second fully integrated supply chain alongside MP Materials. For the Pentagon, USAR represents a critical redundant source of the materials needed for everything from night-vision goggles to missile guidance systems.

Energy Fuels Inc. (UUUU) has emerged as a disruptive "crossover" player, leveraging its uranium processing expertise to become a major producer of rare earth elements. At its White Mesa Mill in Utah, the company has successfully commissioned a Phase 2 circuit capable of producing up to 6,000 tonnes per annum of NdPr oxide. More importantly for the defense sector, Energy Fuels has become a primary domestic source for "heavy" rare earths like dysprosium and terbium, which are far rarer and more strategically sensitive than their "light" counterparts.

The company's 2026 outlook is bolstered by its "Vara Mada" and "Donald" projects, which provide a diversified stream of monazite sand for processing. By producing both uranium for carbon-free energy and rare earths for military hardware, Energy Fuels has positioned itself as a dual-threat infrastructure play. Its low-cost production profile allows it to compete globally while adhering to the highest environmental and security standards required by its government and defense clients.

Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. (NMG) is developing an integrated mine-to-anode model designed to supply low-carbon graphite to Western battery manufacturers. Its Matawinie project in Quebec is structured as an all-electric open-pit operation powered by hydroelectricity, significantly lowering lifecycle emissions relative to conventional peers.

Concentrate from Matawinie will feed the company's downstream facility in Bécancour, where purification, spheroidization, and coating processes will convert material into battery-grade anode graphite. Vertical integration enables higher margins while reducing exposure to Chinese processing dominance.

Long-term offtake agreements with major battery and automotive partners underpin Phase 1 economics. Strategic investors provide capital support and supply-chain access, positioning Nouveau Monde within North America's emerging battery materials corridor.

Compass Minerals International (CMP) remains a leading provider of essential minerals, solidifying its position with consistent performance and strategic growth initiatives. Since the previously mentioned reference, the company has made significant advancements in its operations, product offerings, and sustainability efforts.

Compass Minerals has expanded its product portfolio by introducing new and innovative solutions. Notably, the company has developed a range of specialty salts for various industrial applications, including pharmaceuticals, food additives, and water treatment. These value-added products have not only strengthened the company's revenue streams but also enhanced its competitive advantage in specialized markets.

By. Michael Kern

Oilprice Intelligence brings you the inside view on where the next gains will come from, breaking down the market's biggest growth driver with analysis from veteran oilmen and experts. Click here to get this crucial intel for free

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS
This publication contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding expected continual growth of the featured companies and/or industry. The Publisher notes that statements contained herein that look forward in time, which include everything other than historical information, involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the companies' actual results of operations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ include, but are not limited to, changing governmental laws and policies concerning, among other things, recreational and medical cannabis sales, success of the company's proprietary technology, the size and growth of the market for the company's products and services, the company's ability to fund its capital requirements in the near term and long term, pricing pressures, etc. 

IMPORTANT NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER
Neither the author nor the publisher, Oilprice.com, was paid to publish this communication concerning REalloys (ALOY). The owner of Oilprice.com owns shares and/or stock options of the featured company and therefore has an incentive to see the featured company's stock perform well. The owner of Oilprice.com may buy or sell shares of the featured company at any time including at or near the time you receive this communication. This share ownership should be viewed as a major conflict with our ability to be unbiased. This is why we stress that you conduct extensive due diligence as well as seek the advice of your financial advisor or a registered broker-dealer before investing in any securities.

This communication is not, and should not be construed to be, an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security. Neither this communication nor the Publisher purport to provide a complete analysis of any company or its financial position. The Publisher is not, and does not purport to be, a broker-dealer or registered investment adviser. This communication is not, and should not be construed to be, personalized investment advice directed to or appropriate for any particular investor. Any investment should be made only after consulting a professional investment advisor and only after reviewing the financial statements and other pertinent corporate information about the company. Further, readers are advised to read and carefully consider the Risk Factors identified and discussed in the advertised company's SEC, SEDAR and/or other government filings. Investing in securities is speculative and carries a high degree of risk. Past performance does not guarantee future results. This communication is based on information generally available to the public and does not contain any material, non-public information. The information on which it is based is believed to be reliable. Nevertheless, the Publisher cannot guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information.

INDEMNIFICATION/RELEASE OF LIABILITY
By reading this communication, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this disclaimer, and further that to the greatest extent permitted under law, you release the Publisher, its affiliates, assigns and successors from any and all liability, damages, and injury from this communication. You further warrant that you are solely responsible for any financial outcome that may come from your investment decisions.

TERMS OF USE
By reading this communication you agree that you have reviewed and fully agree to the Terms of Use found here http://oilprice.com/terms-and-conditions If you do not agree to the Terms of Use http://oilprice.com/terms-and-conditions, please contact Oilprice.com to discontinue receiving future communications.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Oilprice.com is the Publisher's trademark. All other trademarks used in this communication are the property of their respective trademark holders.  The Publisher is not affiliated, connected, or associated with, and is not sponsored, approved, or originated by, the trademark holders unless otherwise stated. No claim is made by the Publisher to any rights in any third-party trademarks.

This press release was distributed on behalf of REalloys (ALOY)

DISCLAIMER:  OilPrice.com is Source of all content listed above.  FN Media Group, LLC (FNM), is a third party publisher and news dissemination service provider, which disseminates electronic information through multiple online media channels. FNM is NOT affiliated in any manner with OilPrice.com or any company mentioned herein.  The commentary, views and opinions expressed in this release by OilPrice.com are solely those of OilPrice.com and are not shared by and do not reflect in any manner the views or opinions of FNM.  FNM is not liable for any investment decisions by its readers or subscribers.  FNM and its affiliated companies are a news dissemination and financial marketing solutions provider and are NOT a registered broker/dealer/analyst/adviser, holds no investment licenses and may NOT sell, offer to sell or offer to buy any security.  FNM was not compensated by any public company mentioned herein to disseminate this press release but was compensated twenty four hundred dollars by REalloys to distribute this release on behalf of the company.  #tickertagpressreleases #pressrelease #stockalerts

FNM HOLDS NO SHARES OF ANY COMPANY NAMED IN THIS RELEASE.

This release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended and such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. "Forward-looking statements" describe future expectations, plans, results, or strategies and are generally preceded by words such as "may", "future", "plan" or "planned", "will" or "should", "expected," "anticipates", "draft", "eventually" or "projected". You are cautioned that such statements are subject to a multitude of risks and uncertainties that could cause future circumstances, events, or results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements, including the risks that actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, and other risks identified in a company's annual report on Form 10-K or 10-KSB and other filings made by such company with the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should consider these factors in evaluating the forward-looking statements included herein, and not place undue reliance on such statements. The forward-looking statements in this release are made as of the date hereof and FNM undertakes no obligation to update such statements.

Contact Information:

Media Contact e-mail:  [email protected]
U.S. Phone: [phone]

OilPrice.com
[phone]
[email protected]

SOURCE OilPrice.com