DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Addressing Criticality in Rare Earth Elements via Permanent Magnets Recycling

Abstract

Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical for many advanced technologies and are faced with potential supply disruptions. Recycling of permanent magnets (PMs) can be good sources for REEs which can help minimize global dependence on freshly mined REEs, but PMs are rarely recycled. Recycling of PMs has been discussed with respect to improving REEs resource sustainability. Some challenges to be addressed in order to establish industrially deployable technologies for PMs recycling have also been discussed, including profitability, energy efficiency and environmental impacts. Key considerations for promoting circular economy via PMs recycling is proposed with the focus on deciding the target points in the supply chain at which the recycled products will be inserted. Important technical considerations for recycling different forms of waste PMs, including swarfs, slags, shredded and intact hard disk drives magnets, have been presented. Lastly, the aspects of circular economy considered include reusing magnets, remanufacturing magnets and recovering of REEs from waste PMs.

Authors:
 [1];  [1]
  1. Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Ames Laboratory (AMES), Ames, IA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1417362
Report Number(s):
IS-J-9510
Journal ID: ISSN 1047-4838; PII: 2698; TRN: US1801043
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC02-07CH11358; Critical Materials Institute
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
JOM. Journal of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 70; Journal Issue: 2; Journal ID: ISSN 1047-4838
Publisher:
Springer
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY

Citation Formats

Nlebedim, I. C., and King, A. H. Addressing Criticality in Rare Earth Elements via Permanent Magnets Recycling. United States: N. p., 2017. Web. doi:10.1007/s11837-017-2698-7.
Nlebedim, I. C., & King, A. H. Addressing Criticality in Rare Earth Elements via Permanent Magnets Recycling. United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-017-2698-7
Nlebedim, I. C., and King, A. H. Tue . "Addressing Criticality in Rare Earth Elements via Permanent Magnets Recycling". United States. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11837-017-2698-7. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1417362.
@article{osti_1417362,
title = {Addressing Criticality in Rare Earth Elements via Permanent Magnets Recycling},
author = {Nlebedim, I. C. and King, A. H.},
abstractNote = {Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical for many advanced technologies and are faced with potential supply disruptions. Recycling of permanent magnets (PMs) can be good sources for REEs which can help minimize global dependence on freshly mined REEs, but PMs are rarely recycled. Recycling of PMs has been discussed with respect to improving REEs resource sustainability. Some challenges to be addressed in order to establish industrially deployable technologies for PMs recycling have also been discussed, including profitability, energy efficiency and environmental impacts. Key considerations for promoting circular economy via PMs recycling is proposed with the focus on deciding the target points in the supply chain at which the recycled products will be inserted. Important technical considerations for recycling different forms of waste PMs, including swarfs, slags, shredded and intact hard disk drives magnets, have been presented. Lastly, the aspects of circular economy considered include reusing magnets, remanufacturing magnets and recovering of REEs from waste PMs.},
doi = {10.1007/s11837-017-2698-7},
journal = {JOM. Journal of the Minerals, Metals & Materials Society},
number = 2,
volume = 70,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Dec 12 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Tue Dec 12 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}

Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record

Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 24 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

Save / Share:

Works referenced in this record:

Liquid metal extraction of Nd from NdFeB magnet scrap
journal, November 2000

  • Xu, Y.; Chumbley, L. S.; Laabs, F. C.
  • Journal of Materials Research, Vol. 15, Issue 11
  • DOI: 10.1557/JMR.2000.0330

Rare Earth Elements: Overview of Mining, Mineralogy, Uses, Sustainability and Environmental Impact
journal, October 2014


Life Cycle Impact of Rare Earth Elements
journal, January 2014


Selective Leaching Process for Neodymium Recovery from Scrap Nd-Fe-B Magnet
journal, September 2013

  • Lee, Ching-Hwa; Chen, Yu-Jung; Liao, Ching-Hua
  • Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, Vol. 44, Issue 13
  • DOI: 10.1007/s11661-013-1924-3

Magnetic properties of Sm-Fe-N bulk magnets produced from Cu-plated Sm-Fe-N powder
journal, December 2016

  • Saito, Tetsuji; Deguchi, Tomoe; Yamamoto, Hitoshi
  • AIP Advances, Vol. 7, Issue 5
  • DOI: 10.1063/1.4973396

Recycling of metals from urban mines – a strategic evaluation
journal, January 2016


Recycling of rare earth sintered magnets as isotropic bonded magnets by melt-spinning
journal, July 2004


From NdFeB magnets towards the rare-earth oxides: a recycling process consuming only oxalic acid
journal, January 2014

  • Vander Hoogerstraete, Tom; Blanpain, Bart; Van Gerven, Tom
  • RSC Adv., Vol. 4, Issue 109
  • DOI: 10.1039/C4RA13787F

Life Cycle Inventory of the Production of Rare Earths and the Subsequent Production of NdFeB Rare Earth Permanent Magnets
journal, March 2014

  • Sprecher, Benjamin; Xiao, Yanping; Walton, Allan
  • Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 48, Issue 7
  • DOI: 10.1021/es404596q

Hydrogen Decrepitation and Recycling of NdFeB-type Sintered Magnets
journal, January 2006


The use of hydrogen to separate and recycle neodymium–iron–boron-type magnets from electronic waste
journal, October 2015


Removal of transition metals from rare earths by solvent extraction with an undiluted phosphonium ionic liquid: separations relevant to rare-earth magnet recycling
journal, January 2013

  • Vander Hoogerstraete, Tom; Wellens, Sil; Verachtert, Katrien
  • Green Chemistry, Vol. 15, Issue 4
  • DOI: 10.1039/c3gc40198g

Recycling Used Nd-Fe-B Sintered Magnets via a Hydrogen-Based Route to Produce Anisotropic, Resin Bonded Magnets
journal, September 2012

  • Gutfleisch, Oliver; Güth, Konrad; Woodcock, Thomas George
  • Advanced Energy Materials, Vol. 3, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1002/aenm.201200337

Formation cause, composition analysis and comprehensive utilization of rare earth solid wastes
journal, December 2009


Recycling of scrap sintered Nd–Fe–B magnets as anisotropic bonded magnets via hydrogen decrepitation process
journal, June 2014

  • Li, Chao; Yue, Ming; Liu, Weiqiang
  • Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management, Vol. 17, Issue 3
  • DOI: 10.1007/s10163-014-0279-1

Possible methods of recycling NdFeB-type sintered magnets using the HD/degassing process
journal, February 2008


REE Recovery from End-of-Life NdFeB Permanent Magnet Scrap: A Critical Review
journal, September 2016

  • Yang, Yongxiang; Walton, Allan; Sheridan, Richard
  • Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy, Vol. 3, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1007/s40831-016-0090-4

Leaching kinetics of neodymium in sulfuric acid from E-scrap of NdFeB permanent magnet
journal, January 2014

  • Yoon, Ho-Sung; Kim, Chul-Joo; Chung, Kyeong Woo
  • Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol. 31, Issue 4
  • DOI: 10.1007/s11814-013-0259-5

Recent Advances in Extraction and Separation of Rare-Earth Metals Using Ionic Liquids
journal, January 2011

  • Baba, Yuzo; Kubota, Fukiko; Kamiya, Noriho
  • JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING OF JAPAN, Vol. 44, Issue 10
  • DOI: 10.1252/jcej.10we279

Economic Assessment for Recycling Critical Metals From Hard Disk Drives Using a Comprehensive Recovery Process
journal, June 2017


Life expectancy of motors
journal, November 1991

  • Brancato, E.
  • IEEE Electrical Insulation Magazine, Vol. 7, Issue 6
  • DOI: 10.1109/57.108820

Resource recovery from Nd–Fe–B sintered magnet by hydrothermal treatment
journal, February 2006


Closing the Lifecycle of Rare Earth Magnets: Discovery of Neodymium in Slag from Steel Mills
journal, January 2015

  • Bandara, H. M. Dhammika; Mantell, Mark A.; Darcy, Julia W.
  • Energy Technology, Vol. 3, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1002/ente.201402162

Recycling of NdFeB Magnets Using Sulfation, Selective Roasting, and Water Leaching
journal, July 2015

  • Önal, Mehmet Ali Recai; Borra, Chenna Rao; Guo, Muxing
  • Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy, Vol. 1, Issue 3
  • DOI: 10.1007/s40831-015-0021-9

Rare earth recovery from end-of-life motors employing green chemistry design principles
journal, January 2016

  • Bandara, H. M. Dhammika; Field, Kathleen D.; Emmert, Marion H.
  • Green Chemistry, Vol. 18, Issue 3
  • DOI: 10.1039/C5GC01255D

Material Flow Analysis of NdFeB Magnets for Denmark: A Comprehensive Waste Flow Sampling and Analysis Approach
journal, October 2014

  • Habib, Komal; Schibye, Peter Klausen; Vestbø, Andreas Peter
  • Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 48, Issue 20
  • DOI: 10.1021/es501975y

Recycling as a Strategy against Rare Earth Element Criticality: A Systemic Evaluation of the Potential Yield of NdFeB Magnet Recycling
journal, September 2013

  • Rademaker, Jelle H.; Kleijn, René; Yang, Yongxiang
  • Environmental Science & Technology, Vol. 47, Issue 18
  • DOI: 10.1021/es305007w

Recycling of rare earths: a critical review
journal, July 2013


Resource Recovery from Nd—Fe—B Sintered Magnet by Hydrothermal Treatment.
journal, May 2006


Rare Earth Elements
book, January 2014


Rare Earth Elements
book, December 2021


Works referencing / citing this record:

Recycling of Discarded Tubular Lights for Recovery of Rare Earth Values
journal, November 2019


An Ex-ante LCA Study of Rare Earth Extraction from NdFeB Magnet Scrap Using Molten Salt Electrolysis
journal, November 2018

  • Schulze, Rita; Abbasalizadeh, Aida; Bulach, Winfried
  • Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy, Vol. 4, Issue 4
  • DOI: 10.1007/s40831-018-0198-9