Shaheen Tours Phoenix Tailings, Highlights Pair of Bipartisan Critical Minerals Bills to Boost Domestic Production and Stockpiling

**Shaheen champions pair of bipartisan bills in Congress that would strengthen domestic and allied production of critical minerals to secure supply chains and reduce reliance on China**

(Exeter, NH) – Today, U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) visited Phoenix Tailings to tour its recently opened, cutting-edge rare earth metallization facility. During the visit, Shaheen discussed her new bipartisan legislation, the SECURE Minerals Act, as well as her bipartisan bill to coordinate production with trusted allies. Shaheen’s newly-introduced SECURE Minerals Act would support the domestic supply of critical minerals needed to boost our economic and national security through the creation of a new Strategic Resilience Reserve (SRR). Shaheen was joined by senior executives from Phoenix Tailings. Photos from today’s event can be found HERE.

“We use critical minerals to build just about everything in modern technology—but right now, China controls too much of the supply chain. That costs us good-paying jobs and economic opportunities in New Hampshire while ceding enormous leverage to one of our top adversaries in a way that threatens our national security,” said Senator Shaheen. “It was great to visit Phoenix Tailings’ facility in Exeter, where they’re creating a new approach to process critical minerals in the Granite State completely independent from China. Importantly, they’re extracting rare earth minerals from existing tailings, making the entire supply chain more sustainable. My bipartisan SECURE Minerals Act would support businesses like Phoenix Tailings to expand domestic production and processing—creating good-paying jobs and powering our economy while reducing our reliance on China.”

In the fall of 2025, Phoenix Tailings opened a new plant in Exeter. This facility specializes in turning rare earth inputs, such as oxides and powders, into finished rare-earth metals and alloys. These materials are essential for producing magnets and other advanced manufacturing products. Phoenix Tailings has endorsed Shaheen’s bipartisan SECURE Minerals Act.

Critical minerals have emerged as a key chokepoint in the global economy and give the People’s Republic of China enormous leverage. Shaheen’s recently introduced SECURE Minerals Act would play a vital role in building greater resilience in the U.S. economy from external threats and creating good-paying jobs at home. As part of creating a new SRR, this bill prioritizes support for projects that recycle, reuse or repurpose critical minerals or extract minerals from mining or industrial waste. Last year, Shaheen and U.S. Senator John Curtis (R-UT) introduced bipartisan legislation to bolster partnerships with allies to secure the global supply of critical minerals. The bill both authorizes U.S. participation in the Mineral Security Partnership and authorizes the President to form an international coalition focused on securing reliable critical mineral supply chains and the components that depend on them.

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