In February 2011, the Los Angeles Times reported on Molycorp Minerals’ work in San Bernardino County. Here’s more:

In the Mojave Desert just off Interstate 15 on the way to Las Vegas, workers are digging for dirt that may be worth far more than a casino full of chips.

The massive hole is about to get even bigger. Molycorp Inc., which owns the open mine, plans to dig out about 40,000 tons of dirt a year by 2014, up 1,200% from the current rate of about 3,000 tons.

The Colorado company is boosting production to meet an insatiable global appetite for rare earth elements — minerals that have become a hot commodity because they’re used in all kinds of electronics, including smart phone touch screens, wind turbines and fuel cells.