Topic: How To Invest

Dear Pat: I would appreciate your views on Molycorp and its prospects. Thank you.

Article Excerpt

Molycorp, $27.76, symbol MCP on New York (Shares outstanding: 96.4 million; Market cap: $2.7 billion; www.molycorp.com), will soon complete the full reopening of its rare earth metals mine in the Mojave Desert, near Mountain Pass, California. The mine closed in 2002 due to low rare earth prices. By the end of 2012, Molycorp hopes to be producing 19,050 tonnes of rare earth metals a year. In 2013, it hopes to push that up to 40,000 tonnes. Rare earth elements are used in a variety of modern devices and applications, including catalytic converters and petroleum refining; magnets in small and large motors; glass additives and glass polishing compounds; rechargeable batteries; television and computer screens; lighting; X-ray machines; and lasers. In the three months ended December 31, 2011, Molycorp’s revenue rose sharply, to $132.9 million from $21.7 million a year earlier. Earnings per share jumped to $0.41 from a loss of $0.11. The gains resulted from the reopening of the mine. However, despite the mine’s successful…