The Chemistry of Reality and the Rise of Rare Earth Wish Factories

The Chemistry of Reality and the Rise of Rare Earth Wish Factories – by Jack Lifton (Investor News – May 25, 2026)

Home “The chemistry and metallurgy dictate the flowsheet — not investor enthusiasm.” — Jack Lifton, Co-Founder & Co-Chair, Critical Minerals Institute (CMI) A recurring theme in the reporting of the formation of new ventures for the production of end-user ready forms of those metal elements that are less common in nature, and which are therefore ...

The Chemistry of Reality and the Rise of Rare Earth Wish Factories

Rare earth processing capability, as well as capacity, matters because it is foundational to national security, energy transition, and technological competitiveness. The United States wants resilient domestic or allied supply chains. But the pace at which we can build them is limited by scientific and industrial realities. Policy succeeds when it aligns with those realities — and fails when it assumes we can bypass them. The post The Chemistry o…