Capital Requirements	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
CapitalRequirements
Capital Requirements	Capital Requirements Total capital expenditures for the modernization and expansion efforts and certain other capital projects at the Molycorp Mountain Pass Rare Earth Facility (the "Molycorp Mountain Pass facility") are expected to total approximately $1.55 billion. This updated projection includes certain expenditures that are expected to be deferred until 2014 and 2015, including discretionary expenditures required only to expand production beyond the Molycorp Mountain Pass facility's design capacity of 19,050 metric tons ("mt") of rare earth oxides ("REO"), if and when market demand, product pricing, capital availability and financial returns will justify such production. Of the $1.55 billion projected capital expenditures, the Company had spent approximately $1.30 billion on a cash basis through June 30, 2013, excluding capitalized interest. As of June 30, 2013, the Company estimates cash expenditures totaling approximately $130 million through December 31, 2013, approximately $40 million in 2014 and approximately $70 million in 2015 to fund remaining capital expenditures for the modernization and expansion efforts and certain other capital expenditures at the Molycorp Mountain Pass facility. Additionally, the Company expects to spend approximately $17 million on other maintenance and expansion capital expenditures across all operating segments during the second half of 2013, some of which is discretionary. Other cash requirements for the remainder of 2013 include the final payment of approximately $6.0 million to the noncontrolling shareholder of the Company's majority owned Jiangyin Jia Hua Advanced Material Resources Co. Ltd. facility in Jiangyin, China, and preferred stock dividend payments of approximately $5.6 million, if and after they are declared by the Board of Directors of the Company to be paid in cash. Given the combination of ramping up toward the design capacity of 19,050 mt of REO per year at the Molycorp Mountain Pass facility, and the declining pricing environment of rare earth elements ("REEs"), the Company anticipates significantly lower than previously expected revenues and cash flow from operations through the remainder of 2013. The Company plans to fund its capital expenditures primarily from its consolidated cash balances of $264.2 million as of June 30, 2013, and cash generated from operations. While the Company's cash balances as of June 30, 2013 will fund a substantial portion of its capital needs, the full funding of the Company's planned capital expenditures continues to be dependent on (i) its cost estimates for capital expenditures being accurate, (ii) its ability to ramp up run rates at its Molycorp Mountain Pass facility pursuant to its expectations without delays and the successful commissioning of its chloralkali plant and its multi-stage cracking unit, which is expected to reduce our cash costs of production, (iii) market conditions improving over what the Company is currently experiencing and that it is able to sell all its production at such prices (the Company estimates that a 15% drop in market prices for all REEs would reduce its estimated consolidated cash balance as of December 31, 2013 by approximately $8 million and that a 15% drop in volumes would reduce its estimated consolidated cash balance as of December 31, 2013 by approximately $30 million), (iv) its ability to sell its entire production of REO (in particular, including its ability to sell its cerium through acceptance of SorbX or otherwise) and (v) the absence of payments on current and future contingent liabilities. If these assumptions prove inaccurate, the Company's estimates could prove incorrect and it may need additional financing. As part of its cash management procedures, the Company continues to pursue other sources of liquidity, including potential proceeds from revolving credit facilities, equity issuances, and lease and loan financing for certain equipment. There can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in securing access to additional cash proceeds through the revolving credit facilities or other forms of financing that it is currently pursuing on commercially acceptable terms, or at all. Accordingly, if necessary, the Company believes it has the ability to curtail capital expenditures and revise its current business plan to the extent necessary to preserve adequate liquidity sufficient to sustain operations. On October 14, 2013, the Company entered into an agreement with Molibdenos y Metales S.A. ("Molymet") pursuant to which Molymet agreed that, at the request of the Company during the term of the agreement, Molymet would purchase $50.0 million of the Company’s common stock. The agreement with Molymet expires on October 28, 2013.

Capital Requirements

Total capital expenditures for the modernization and expansion efforts and certain other capital projects at the Molycorp Mountain Pass Rare Earth Facility (the "Molycorp Mountain Pass facility") are expected to total approximately $1.55 billion. This updated projection includes certain expenditures that are expected to be deferred until 2014 and 2015, including discretionary expenditures required only to expand production beyond the Molycorp Mountain Pass facility's design capacity of 19,050 metric tons ("mt") of rare earth oxides ("REO"), if and when market demand, product pricing, capital availability and financial returns will justify such production. Of the $1.55 billion projected capital expenditures, the Company had spent approximately $1.30 billion on a cash basis through June 30, 2013, excluding capitalized interest.

As of June 30, 2013, the Company estimates cash expenditures totaling approximately $130 million through December 31, 2013, approximately $40 million in 2014 and approximately $70 million in 2015 to fund remaining capital expenditures for the modernization and expansion efforts and certain other capital expenditures at the Molycorp Mountain Pass facility. Additionally, the Company expects to spend approximately $17 million on other maintenance and expansion capital expenditures across all operating segments during the second half of 2013, some of which is discretionary.

Other cash requirements for the remainder of 2013 include the final payment of approximately $6.0 million to the noncontrolling shareholder of the Company's majority owned Jiangyin Jia Hua Advanced Material Resources Co. Ltd. facility in Jiangyin, China, and preferred stock dividend payments of approximately $5.6 million, if and after they are declared by the Board of Directors of the Company to be paid in cash.

Given the combination of ramping up toward the design capacity of 19,050 mt of REO per year at the Molycorp Mountain Pass facility, and the declining pricing environment of rare earth elements ("REEs"), the Company anticipates significantly lower than previously expected revenues and cash flow from operations through the remainder of 2013.

The Company plans to fund its capital expenditures primarily from its consolidated cash balances of $264.2 million as of June 30, 2013, and cash generated from operations. While the Company's cash balances as of June 30, 2013 will fund a substantial portion of its capital needs, the full funding of the Company's planned capital expenditures continues to be dependent on (i) its cost estimates for capital expenditures being accurate, (ii) its ability to ramp up run rates at its Molycorp Mountain Pass facility pursuant to its expectations without delays and the successful commissioning of its chloralkali plant and its multi-stage cracking unit, which is expected to reduce our cash costs of production, (iii) market conditions improving over what the Company is currently experiencing and that it is able to sell all its production at such prices (the Company estimates that a 15% drop in market prices for all REEs would reduce its estimated consolidated cash balance as of December 31, 2013 by approximately $8 million and that a 15% drop in volumes would reduce its estimated consolidated cash balance as of December 31, 2013 by approximately $30 million), (iv) its ability to sell its entire production of REO (in particular, including its ability to sell its cerium through acceptance of SorbX or otherwise) and (v) the absence of payments on current and future contingent liabilities. If these assumptions prove inaccurate, the Company's estimates could prove incorrect and it may need additional financing.

As part of its cash management procedures, the Company continues to pursue other sources of liquidity, including potential proceeds from revolving credit facilities, equity issuances, and lease and loan financing for certain equipment.

There can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in securing access to additional cash proceeds through the revolving credit facilities or other forms of financing that it is currently pursuing on commercially acceptable terms, or at all. Accordingly, if necessary, the Company believes it has the ability to curtail capital expenditures and revise its current business plan to the extent necessary to preserve adequate liquidity sufficient to sustain operations.

On October 14, 2013, the Company entered into an agreement with Molibdenos y Metales S.A. ("Molymet") pursuant to which Molymet agreed that, at the request of the Company during the term of the agreement, Molymet would purchase $50.0 million of the Company’s common stock. The agreement with Molymet expires on October 28, 2013.