Rare earth miners fall after Molycorp revenue, cash flow guidance

Shares of "rare earth" mining company Molycorp (MCP) are sharply lower after the company forecast lower than expected 2013 revenue and cash flow, citing the combination of the ramp-up schedule for its Mountain Pass project and the current rare earth pricing environment. The company also noted it will not complete Phase 2 construction at Mountain Pass until until market demand, product pricing, capital availability, and financial returns justify additional increases in production beyond Phase 1. J.P. Morgan added to the negative sentiment by lowering its price target on the shares to $5 from $8 while maintaining an Underweight rating. In late morning trade, Molycorp slid nearly 22% to $8.44. Other rare earth miners have seen their shares slip as well, with China Shen Zhou Mining (SHZ) down over 3%, Rare Element Resources (REE) falling nearly 4% and Avalon Rare Metals shedding about 6%.