REAP - Rare-Earth Extraction from Audio Products

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Rare earth magnets based upon neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) are a key material in electric vehicles where they are used in drive motors,generators, power steering and in loudspeakers. In recent years the supply of rare earths has come under considerable constraint from the main producer, China. Recycling of rare earth magnets presents a significant opportunity and REAP aims to develop a recycling supply chain for the loudspeaker market. REAP (Rare-Earth Extraction from Audio Products) will investigate novel ways of liberating rare earth magnets from automotive and consumer audio modules. EMR will pre-process automotive and flat screen TV loudspeaker scrap to provide a feed of scrap components containing NdFeB magnets to HyProMag Ltd. HyProMag will evaluate a patented process in conjunction with the University of Birmingham to extract the magnets as a demagnetised alloy powder, which can be used in the remanufacture of magnets. The quality, quantity, availability and value of the scrap will be determined for speakers from various sources and a calculation of value added to the scrap will be made. The short loop recycling processes which are being developed by Hypromag Ltd will have a significant environmental benefit compared to primary production of magnets.