From mining rare earths to producing magnets with rare earths, name it and Molycorp Inc., the world's largest non-Chinese rare earths miner, just could already possibly have it.

Just before the weekend, Molycorp Inc. announced it will buy Canadian rare earth processor Neo Material Technologies Inc. for a whopping $1.3 billion in cash and stock to support its mine-to-magnet strategy, a scheme meant to capture the entire rare earths supply and manufacturing chain. Molycorp Inc. will pay C$8.05 in cash plus 0.122 of a share for each share of Toronto-based Neo Material. The deal is expected to close in the second or third quarter of 2012.

Once this takeover bid pushes through, the U.S. rare earths miner not only rakes in more profit production wise, but will also likely become an interesting acquisition target for other technology-based manufacturers, Reuters News reported, as the deal gives Molycorp Inc. a ready and immediate access to magnet compounds.

An example would be the automotive industry, which rakes in millions of sales each year. Car makers are big users of rare earths for their production line. They need large magnets to power the main motor in a hybrid car as well as smaller magnets to move that car's side mirrors and seat.

If Molycorp Inc. already has it all, not only supply but also the end product that these car manufacturers need, would it be not a great idea to acquire the rare earths source to enable security of supplies?

"Does this make them interesting in terms of being an acquisition candidate for GM or a Toyota or a Nissan, or somebody like that, I would think so," analyst Jon Hykawy told Reuters News.

Profits are also ensured from sales related to other electronic equipment such as smartphones and other appliances.

Molycorp Inc. closed $30.89 on Friday, 19 per cent up on the day, while Neo Material Technologies Inc. closed C$7.97 on Thursday, 23 per cent off its 2011 high of C$10.67. Shares further jumped 37 per cent to C$10.94 on Friday.

Neo Material Technologies Inc. sources its concentrates from China to make rare earth oxides, alloys and magnetic materials. But China, the world's stronghold of rare earths as it controls 97 per cent of the supply, is also the world's top consumer of the precious metals.

Molycorp Inc.'s corporate strategy is to develop the entire rare earth chain, from raw material to high-value rare earth magnets. Its bid for Neo will enable it gain entry to cutting-edge processing technology, at the same time expand its product portfolio and provide valuable magnetic alloy patents to across a wide spectrum of customers.