With approximately $1.2 billion in facility-specific investment and approximately 490 permanent operating jobs announced, this project clears both of AFT's qualifying thresholds ($100 million in facility-specific investment OR 100 permanent operating jobs). It is also confirmed by official public sources and involves a physical manufacturing facility in the United States.
View full methodology →The critical minerals & magnets context.
Facilities that separate, refine, convert, or recover critical minerals into metals, oxides, or chemical compounds, plus facilities manufacturing finished permanent magnets of any chemistry, including magnets made without rare earths. Battery-specific active materials belong in Battery Manufacturing. For other integrated activities, classify by the primary stated output.
At a glance
- Company
- USA Rare Earth
- Industry
- Critical Minerals & Magnets
- Location
- Blacksburg, South Carolina
- Investment
- Approximately $1.20B
- Permanent jobs announced
- Approximately 490
- Status
- Under Construction
- Announced
- Jun 3, 2026
- Expected opening
- April 2028
- Added to tracker
- Sep 23, 2026
Official references
- South Carolina Governor USA Rare Earth Cherokee County announcement https://governor.sc.gov/news/2026-06/usa-rare-earth-inc-selects-cherokee-county-first-south-carolina-operation
- USA Rare Earth Blacksburg groundbreaking https://investors.usare.com/news-releases/news-release-details/usa-rare-earth-breaks-ground-advanced-rare-earth-metal-and
Cite this project
American Factory Tracker. "USA Rare Earth Blacksburg Manufacturing Facility, Blacksburg, SC." https://americanfactorytracker.com/projects/usa-rare-earth-blacksburg-manufacturing-facility. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Please also cite the original sources listed above for underlying figures.