Hub 2 in Action: Scaling Magnet Recycling for Europe’s Green Transition

At Hub 2, Solvay (hub Leader) is proving just how central it is to the transition we are building together. In our conversation, they shared how their experience is helping the project move forward, what drives their commitment, and how they imagine the impact of their work will unfold.

1. How can Europe scale up the collection and recovery of End-of-Life magnets to meet the growing demand for rare earths in green technologies? 

Access to the recycling feeds is key to build a circular supply chain. In order to ensure that EoL magnets are considered as critical waste EU regulation has a major role in:  

• driving clear objectives on EoL magnet recycling, 

• setting collection targets,  

• defining waste codes,  

• easing waste transport and treatment within the European Union 

• defending the export of such secondary feed. 

Increase the level of knowledge about the collection of waste and the value of each waste in terms of quantity and quality of the magnet. Eco-organisms could play a crucial role in this field and in increasing the collection of EoL magnet containing waste.  

⇒ covered by the PERMANET Consortium with 5 different Eco-organisms (WEEEforum, Erion, Zeos, Ecotic and Electrao). 

Regarding the recovery of the magnets from the waste, automation and lowering the cost of dismantling and extraction steps are key.   

⇒ covered by the PERMANET Consortium with two main milestones: automatic dismantling pilot for e-motors and e-wheels.  

2. What are the key technological breakthroughs needed to make circular rare earth recovery both economically viable and environmentally sound? 

• Recycling of EoL magnets is important for the securitization of EU rare earth magnet demand and for the independence of the European supply chain.  
  However, a key hurdle is the variability of the wastes’ quality, composition and impurity content. For that reason, the co-existence of the short loop and the long loop recycling routes, the scaling-up and management of the operation costs of both processes are of paramount importance.  

• European magnet production capacities are limited and are far below the European expected need for the next 10 years. Incentive politics (trades, fundings…) to onshore magnet production in Europe are another important level to drive an independent circular supply chain of permanent magnets in Europe.  

• The last point is regarding the magnet production technologies in Europe. High grade magnets require specific technologies like among other Grain Boundary Diffusion, specific doping, adjusting the magnet composition or composition gradient. Most of these technologies are already patented. Innovation and building European Intellectual Property is key but also assessing the right need of each application in terms of magnet performance. 

⇒ Consortiums like PERMANET are definitely the place for such breakthrough innovation.