Pappas Tours Business Key to Domestic Critical Minerals Supply in Exeter, Talks Bipartisan SECURE Minerals Act
Yesterday Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), the first Democrat in the House to cosponsor the Securing Essential and Critical U.S. Resources and Elements (SECURE) Minerals Act, toured Phoenix Tailings’ cutting-edge rare earth metallization facility in Exeter, one of the largest rare earth metal-making facilities.
“Critical minerals are used in life-saving medical devices, everyday products, cars, and our defense systems. Securing our domestic production, storage, and supply chain of critical minerals is essential to reduce the leverage the Chinese Communist Party can exert on American businesses, workers, and families,” said Congressman Pappas. “I toured Phoenix Tailings’ facility in Exeter, where they are doing innovative work to produce and process these minerals, securing our supply chains, and creating good-paying jobs right here in our state. The SECURE Minerals Act will support key businesses such as this one, and I will continue to push it forward.”
"We appreciate Congressman Pappas taking the time to visit our Exeter facility and learn more about the work our team is doing to strengthen the domestic rare earth supply chain," said Dr. Tomás Villalón, Co-Founder and CTO of Phoenix Tailings. "Building resilient U.S. critical minerals and metals capabilities requires collaboration across industry, government, and academia. We appreciate the Congressman's interest in American manufacturing and innovation, as well as his support for our efforts to expand domestic production of these essential materials.”
Critical minerals have emerged as a key chokepoint in the global economy and China’s overwhelming dominance in mining and processing has given them enormous leverage. Just as the Strategic Petroleum Reserve and the CHIPS and Science Act, which Pappas helped pass, have created more resilient domestic energy and semiconductor supplies, the bipartisan SECURE Minerals Act will play a vital role in insulating the U.S. economy from external threats and creating good-paying jobs at home through the creation of a new Strategic Resilience Reserve (SRR).
Phoenix Tailings, a U.S.-based rare earth metals production company, opened their new facility in Exeter in the fall of 2025. The company aims to create a stable, circular rare earths supply chain from tailings to metal and has developed innovative technology that enables the economic and safe processing of rare earth elements into final metals and metal alloys. These materials are essential for producing magnets and other advanced manufacturing products. Phoenix Tailings has endorsed the bipartisan SECURE Minerals Act, which is led by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (NH) in the Senate.
Background:
Earlier this Congress, Pappas introduced the Critical Infrastructure Security Act to provide greater oversight and protection for critical American infrastructure from foreign interference, and strengthen existing federal authority to review, investigate, and block foreign real estate transactions that could jeopardize America’s national security. He also introduced the Stop Chinese Fentanyl Act to crack down on foreign drug trafficking and sanction Chinese suppliers of key fentanyl ingredients, helped craft and fought to pass the CHIPS and Science Act, bipartisan legislation that jump-started American manufacturing of critical semiconductor chips found in everything from microwaves to cars, and led the STOP CCP Act, which would require financial and visa sanctions on members of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party for the numerous human rights violations, including genocide, that the CCP has committed.