| 1949 |
Rare earth mineralization (bastnasite) was discovered at Mountain Pass. |
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| 1950 |
The USGS maps the area. Molybdenum Corporation of America (MCA) purchases mining claims. |
| 1952 |
Production of rare earths begins. |
| 1954 |
Shipments of rare earth concentrates to U.S. Government stockpile begins; other markets not yet developed. |
| 1965 |
Development of red phosphor for color TV creates large demand for Europium Oxide. Europium recovery plant built, and Molycorp supplied most of the world’s Europium demand. Cerium Oxide and Lanthanum-rich Concentrate production increases. |
| 1966 |
New rare earth concentrator installed; annual production rate now at 24 million lbs concentrate. |
| 1967 |
Concentrator expansion completed; demand increases greatly. |
| 1974 |
MCA changes its name to Molycorp, Inc. |
| 1977 |
Publicly traded Molycorp is acquired by Union Oil of California (UNOCAL). |
| 1980s |
Molycorp ramps up production of light and heavy rare earths, meeting a majority of the world’s demand. |
| 1981 |
New seperations plant constructed. Production of Samarium Oxide and other “heavy” Rare Earths begins. |
| 1990 |
Expanded facilities produce about 40% of the global rare earths. |
| 1998 |
Rare earth separations operations suspended due to poor market conditions and process water pipeline breaches. Recovery of rare earth concentrates from past inventories begins. |
| 2002 |
Final mining and milling campaigns of bastnasite ore completed. Mill tailings impoundment area is closed after 30 years of service. Active mining suspended due to reaching capacity in the tailings basin. |
| 2004 |
Molycorp recieves approval of critical 30-year mining plan permit. |
2005
|
Unocal aquired by Chevron Corporation. Molycorp, Inc. becomes wholly owned subsidiary of Chevron. |
| Neo Material Technologies (acquired by Molycorp in 2012) is formed when AMR combines its operations with those of Magnequench. |
| 2007 |
Extraction circuit for Neodymium/Praseodymium restarted for first time since 1998. Production commences in the fourth quarter. Molycorp merged into Chevron Mining, Inc. |
| 2008 |
Privately held Molycorp Minerals, LLC, acquires the Mountain Pass facility from Chevron Mining on September 30, 2008, as a foundation to build an integrated rare earth products and technology company. |
| 2009 |
Processing stockpiled bastnasite concentrate begins. |
| 2010 |
Initial public offering and listing on the NYSE of Molycorp, Inc. common stock. Project Phoenix launched. |
| 2011 |
Project Phoenix construction accelerates. |
| Acquired AS Silmet, a rare earth oxide and rare metal producer based in Sillamae, Estonia, and it is now called Molycorp Silmet. |
| Acquired Santoku America, Inc., in Tolleson, Arizona. The specialty metal and alloy producer is now called Molycorp Metals and Alloys. |
| Molycorp announces joint venture with Daido Steel, Ltd., and the Mitsubishi Corporation to manufacture sintered neodymium-iron-boron magnets. |
| 2012 |
Molycorp acquires Toronto-based Neo Materials Technologies.
|
| Launched sequential start-up of Project Phoenix. |
| 2013 |
Molycorp announces that all key production components of its new Mountain Pass processing facility are operational and the facility is ramping up to its Phase 1 run rate.
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