Trump magnet park

America cannot do without magnets. America cannot do without Neodymium (Nd). America cannot do without Praseodymium (Pr). And, America cannot do without Dysprosium (Dy).

Tesla alone needs around 2,000 tons of Nd magnets for its Model 3, Y, S and X vehicles -- and Dy to maintain drive-unit performance at high temperatures. General Motors requires nearly 1,500 tons of NdPr-based magnets for its Ultium EV motors, powering the Hummer EV and Silverado.

Ford Motor consumes about 1,200 tons of permanent magnets in the F-150 Lightning and Mustang Mach-E Lockheed Martin demands roughly 800 tons of NdFeB magnets, fortified with Dy, for the F-35 Lightning II’s actuators, stealth systems and missile guidance. RTX Corp (Raytheon) needs another 600 tons of Dysprosium-enhanced magnets for precision-guided munitions, jet engines and ship propulsion -- plus Nd and Pr for targeting lasers.

Loe Shilman, 75 kilometers from Peshawar and northwest of Landi Kotal, holds deposits of Neodymium (Nd) and Praseodymium (Pr). Pakistan’s Salt Range also contains Nd, while Balochistan and the Himalayan belt contain rich monazite and bastnasite reserves, the primary global sources of rare earths.

Lower Swat, 10 kilometers southeast of Saidu (Mingora), holds Neodymium (Nd) and Praseodymium (Pr). In Upper Dir, the Kumrat–Patrak–Gandigar corridor, and in Lower Dir, the Khazana–Timergara block, contain REE-bearing pegmatites. Pakistan’s rare earth potential remains largely untapped, estimated at over 50,000 tons a year. In October, Pakistan shipped its first Nd-enriched samples to the US, marking the beginning of a new mineral chapter.

Tesla, General Motors, Ford Motor, Lockheed Martin and Raytheon cannot function without Neodymium, Praseodymium and Dysprosium. Pakistan has them in Khadong Banda, Ashrai Valley, Buner, Mahak, and Kalam.

What’s missing is the bridge between the two -- a refining park on the Arabian Sea. What’s missing is the Trump Magnet Park where Pakistan’s Neodymium, Praseodymium and Dysprosium meet Tesla, General Motors, Ford Motor, Lockheed and Raytheon.

Trump Magnet Park, to be located within the Dhabeji Special Economic Zone (DSEZ) -- just 22 kilometers from Port Qasim -- offering direct access to the National Highway and M-9 Motorway. Spanning 1,530 acres, the DSEZ is designed for export-oriented manufacturing. DSEZ, as part of Sindh’s provincial program, provides a smoother pathway for a DoD-aligned compliance regime — including security audits, end-use controls, and IP/data safeguards. With a metro-area population exceeding 30 million, access to borehole water, and a 10–15-acre buffer for emergency containment, truck staging and security, DSEZ is purpose-built for high-trust, high-security industrial partnerships.

The Trump Magnet Park will require an estimated investment of $800 million to $1.5 billion. The Park must clear a DoD sniff test: pair a DLA offtake with a DPA/IBAS cost-share, and finance the park through DFC debt supported by EXIM-backed US equipment.

Possible breakdown: EXIM covers 40 per cent of capex; DFC provides 40 per cent in senior debt; and sponsors plus DPA/IBAS contribute the remaining 20 per cent as equity or cost-share. Pakistan must lock in demand certainty from the DLA and secure build money from DoD investment programmes (DPA Title III / IBAS).

Pakistan holds the ore. America holds the need. If Pakistan builds the park and America anchors demand, both win. Dhabeji to Detroit -- a new supply chain. Yes, magnets could define the next great US–Pakistan alliance.

The writer is a columnist based in Islamabad. He tweets/posts @saleemfarrukh and can be reached at: farrukh15@hotmail.com