Why Energy Fuels Stock Popped on Friday (Hint: It's a Rare Earths Breakthrough)
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By Neha Chamaria – Dec 19, 2025 at 4:00PM ESTKey PointsA major South Korean automaker has approved Energy Fuels' rare earths for commercial use. The miner is targeting large-scale rare earth magnet production by the end of 2026.Rare earth magnets are vital inputs for defense applications, automakers, and renewable technology.These 10 Stocks Could Mint the Next Wave of Millionaires ›NYSEMKT: UUUUEnergy FuelsMarket Cap$3.3BToday's Changeangle-down(7.80%) $1.09Current Price$15.07Price as of December 19, 2025 at 4:00 PM ETEnergy Fuels is rapidly progressing rare earths production.Energy Fuels (UUUU +7.80%) was once known as a uranium stock, but that's no longer the case. The miner has just made a breakthrough in rare earth elements, and that's sending its shares soaring. On Friday, Energy Fuels stock surged 11.7% at its highest point in trading and remained up 7.5% as of 3 p.m. ET. Image source: Getty Images. Energy Fuels is rapidly building a rare earth portfolio On Dec. 19, Energy Fuels announced that its 99.9% purity dysprosium oxide, a rare earth element, has passed the initial quality checks with a major South Korean automotive manufacturer. Rare earths, a group of 17 elements, are essential materials for semiconductors, electronics, lasers, renewable energy technology, and military aircraft and equipment. Dysprosium is primarily used in hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs)https://www.fool.com/investing/stock market/market-sectors/consumer-discretionary/automotive-stocks/electric-car-stocks/, robotics, and defense systems such as missiles and drones. ExpandNYSEMKT: UUUUEnergy FuelsToday's Change(7.80%) $1.09Current Price$15.07Key Data PointsMarket Cap$3.3BDay's Range$14.30 - $15.6252wk Range$3.20 - $27.33Volume15MAvg Vol21MGross Margin-515.86% South Korea is an automotive powerhouse, dominated by the auto major Hyundai. Much like the U.S., South Korea heavily relies on China for rare earths but has accelerated its efforts to secure alternative sources and solutions. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the Trump administration is taking bold steps to bolster domestic supply, even acquiring stakes in major rare earth producers, such as MP Materials. In September, Energy Fuels also successfully processed another rare earth element, neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) oxide, into magnets for commercial use by a South Korean manufacturer of EV motor units.Advertisement Watch Energy Fuels stock closely Energy Fuels expects to commence terbium production before the end of 2025 and will subsequently initiate pilot production of gadolinium and samarium oxides. Its rapid progress makes Energy Fuels one of the first companies in the U.S. to have both light and heavy rare earth elements qualify for processing into magnets for end use. By the end of 2026, the miner expects to have built large-scale production capacity for several rare earth elements. That makes Energy Fuels a no-brainer rare earths stock to watch.Read NextOct 27, 2025 •By Rich SmithWhy Energy Fuels Stock Crashed TodayOct 14, 2025 •By Billy DubersteinWhy Energy Fuels Rocketed Higher Yet Again TodayOct 13, 2025 •By Rich SmithWhy Energy Fuels Stock Exploded Higher TodayOct 10, 2025 •By Billy DubersteinWhy Energy Fuels Rallied Today as the Markets FellOct 9, 2025 •By Scott LevineWhy Shares of Energy Fuels Are Charging Higher TodayOct 7, 2025 •By Rich SmithWhy Energy Fuels Stock Is Going Back UpAbout the AuthorNeha Chamaria is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering energy, industrials, utilities, and materials sectors, with a focus on dividend stocks. Prior to The Motley Fool, Neha worked on portfolio valuations for hedge funds at HSBC and authored articles as a journalist. She holds a master’s degree in finance from ICFAI and an MBA from Symbiosis University, along with certifications from the National Stock Exchange of India. Neha was honored with an all-India gold medal for her M.S. in Finance and was the first woman in her family to pursue a professional career.TMFNehamsX@nehamschamariaStocks MentionedEnergy FuelsNYSEMKT: UUUU$15.07 (+0.08%) $+1.09MP MaterialsNYSE: MP$53.97 (+0.04%) $+1.93*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.Advertisement