Michael Silver

Michael Silver was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. He attended the University of Southern California (USC) receiving a B.A. degree in behavioral neuroscience in 1978 and then attended USC's JD/MBA dual degree program graduating in 1982. He practiced corporate law for 10 years, specializing in mergers & acquisitions.

In the mid-1990s Silver founded American Elements as a manufacturer and metals refiner of rare earths and other critical minerals serving U.S. industry. Upon the closing of Unocal/Molycorp in Mountain Pass, California and the Rhodia rare earth refinery in Freeport, Texas, ending U.S. rare earths metal production, he established the post-Cold War rare earth supply chain from Inner Mongolia, China to the U.S., Europe and Japan. He then established American Elements facilities in Salt Lake City, Utah; Monterrey, Mexico; Baotou, China; and Manchester, England and expanded production to include newly discovered elemental forms of other advanced materials such as nanoparticles, green technology & alternative energy materials and advanced military alloys. In February 2021, Silver acquired 100% ownership of New Harbour Distillery, a South African-based distiller.

In April 2025, Silver appeared on CNN’s One World with Zain Asher, where he discussed China’s new export restrictions on rare earth materials and addressed potential challenges for U.S. supply chains.

Silver established the not-for-profit American Elements' Academics & Periodicals Department in 2006 which supports high school, college and graduate school education in high technology and materials science. The Department has sponsored academic and industry conferences in fields including space exploration, nanotechnology, green technologies, solar energy and robotics. In 2011, it co-sponsored with the National Science Foundation a four-part PBS TV series on NOVA entitled Making Stuff examining the world of materials science. Silver hosted a delegation in 2011 from the UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California to the Inner Mongolian Medical Teaching College in Baotou, China which has led to student and teacher exchanges and the development of a joint AIDS program. He served as a trustee of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (2017-2021) and serves as a member of the board of directors of the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and the Sarara Initiative in Northern Kenya and the council of the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles. He also serves on the directors council of the Getty Museum in Los Angeles and has underwritten artists in residence at the UCLA Hammer Museum. In winter 2021, Silver established the Michael Silver Fund with a gift to the J. Paul Getty Museum. In recognition of the gift, the Getty Board of Trustees named the Michael Silver Family Gallery at the museum. He has made in-kind donations of artwork to the National Museum of African American History & Culture in Washington, DC.