A storied mine tucked in the California desert might be the nation’s ticket to reducing its dependence on foreign adversaries. And it could be the birthplace of your next iPhone, too.

At a time when the federal government is tightening its purse strings under the Trump administration, Pentagon agreements with one Las Vegas mining company are still firm.

Rep. Susie Lee, D-Nev., joined Las Vegas-based MP Materials at its downtown Summerlin headquarters Monday to celebrate a slew of contracts with both Apple and the Department of Defense, representing billions in investment into the only operational rare earths mine and processing facility in North America.

“This is really changing the nature of technology and our supply chain in this country, and you all are leading the way,” Lee told a c

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