US’s Niron, Moog Team to Lessen Reliance on Chinese Rare Earths

Two US companies have partnered to develop magnets for sensitive systems such as guided munitions, the latest sign of the defense industry’s effort to break free of dependence on rare-earth minerals from China.

Minnesota-based Niron Magnetics is pairing with Moog Inc. of New York to produce the iron nitride magnets — without using rare-earth minerals — for mechanical parts, the companies announced Thursday. The move marks Niron’s first publicly disclosed, non-commercial foray with a defense application, Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Rowntree told Bloomberg.