** Shares of MP Materials MP.N down 6.2% post-market to $54.94 as it looks to raise equity

** Las Vegas, Nevada-based rare earths miner commences $500 mln stock offering

** It plans to use net proceeds to fund acceleration and expansion of operations, including the 10X Facility, for strategic growth and other general purposes

** JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs are joint lead bookrunners for the offering

** MP shares on Weds finished up 0.6% at $58.55, a fresh record high close

** Stock has nearly doubled over the past 5 sessions since MP last Thurs sealed multibillion-dollar deal with the U.S. government to boost rare earth magnets output to break China's grip, and Apple AAPL.O on Tues said to invest $500 mln as it seeks to localize its mineral supply chain

** MP has ~163.46 mln shares outstanding for ~$9.6 bln market cap, per LSEG data

(Lance Tupper is a Reuters market analyst. The views expressed are his own)

((lance.tupper@tr.com 1-646-279-6380))