Rare Earth ‘Catch 22’: Romanian Academics Look at Ways to Transition to Cleaner Rare Earth for Electrical Machine Manufacturing

Highlights

• Rare earth elements are crucial for green technologies like electric vehicles, but face significant recycling and environmental extraction challenges.
• Current recycling rates are extremely low (only 1%), with ongoing research seeking more efficient recovery methods from waste products.
• Legislative measures like the EU’s Critical Raw Materials Act aim to establish more sustainable and secure raw material supply chains by 2030.

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The transition to green technologies, such as electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy systems, has significantly increased the demand for rare earth elements (REEs). These elements are essential for manufacturing components like permanent magnets used in wind turbines and EV motors. However, the limited availability and environmental concerns associated with REE extraction present challenges to this transition.

But as the authors Dan-Cristian Popa and Loránd Szabó at the Electrical Machines and Drives Department, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania, point out in a recent paper (opens in a new tab), challenges in REE supply persist—serious challenges are the reality.

One is the limited recycling capability.  Currently, only about 1% of REEs are recycled from end-products. This low rate is due to the small quantities of REEs in electronic components and the complexities involved in their chemical separation. For instance, recovering neodymium requires manual disassembly of hard disk drives, as shredding recovers only 10% of the REE.

Environmental impacts cannot be overlooked.  REE extraction and processing can lead to significant environmental pollution. Mitigating these impacts requires developing more sustainable extraction methods and improving recycling efficiency.

So, what are some possible solutions?

The authors, scanning the literature, identify possible advancements in recycling technologies. Research is ongoing to develop efficient methods for recycling REEs from waste products. For example, a study demonstrated a 95.16% recovery rate of REEs from waste nickel-metal hydride batteries. Additionally, recovering REEs from industrial wastes could reduce environmental and health impacts associated with mining.

But there is also the prospect of alternative materials. Developing technologies that reduce reliance on REEs can alleviate supply constraints. For instance, some EV manufacturers are exploring the use of induction motors, which do not require REE-based permanent magnets. However, these alternatives may come with trade-offs in efficiency and performance.

What about implementing more environmentally friendly mining techniques and adhering to strict environmental regulations?  Can this mitigate the negative impacts of REE extraction? Additionally, can sourcing REEs from regions with robust environmental standards contribute to more sustainable supply chains?  But how realistic is this?

The authors point out that legislative measures, such as the European Union’s Critical Raw Materials Act, aim to ensure a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials, including REEs. The Act sets benchmarks for domestic capacities, such as extracting at least 10% and recycling at least 15% of the EU’s annual consumption by 2030.

Addressing the challenges associated with REE supply is crucial for the continued advancement of green technologies. A multifaceted approach that includes improving recycling methods, developing alternative materials, and implementing supportive policies will be essential to overcome these obstacles.