Rare-earth magnet recycling | Brasil Terras Raras

Where the secondary sources are

Magnet manufacturing waste is a concentrated and relatively well-known source. End-of-life products such as hard drives, motors, and generators offer growing volumes, but their magnets are integrated into equipment of different ages and designs.

Brasil Terras Raras analysis indicates that most current secondary supply comes from manufacturing losses. Post-consumer magnet recycling still faces limited collection and challenging economics.

The magnet must first be recovered

Manual or automated disassembly can preserve the component. Shredding facilitates bulk processing but mixes materials and may hinder later stages. Demagnetization and coating removal also form part of preparation.

Designing products for disassembly, recording composition, and creating reverse logistics improve feed quality. Without this information, every batch requires more sorting and characterization.

Direct reuse or chemical separation

Some routes preserve the alloy or magnetic powder to manufacture new magnets. Others dissolve the material and recover oxides or salts, making it possible to adjust composition and remove contaminants. The best choice depends on magnet condition and final specification.

Brasil Terras Raras' technical assessment identifies the cost of separating similar elements as a barrier. New ligands, selective dissolution, and lower-reagent processes seek to improve this equation.

Recycling strengthens supply but does not replace everything

Available recycling stock depends on what was produced in the past and on equipment lifetimes. In rapidly growing markets, secondary supply takes time to catch up with demand.

Even so, recycling reduces disposal, recovers already concentrated material, and creates a source less exposed to geology. The Brasil Terras Raras base records recent progress in producing recycled oxides, a sign of Brazilian technological development in this area.

Sources and documentary base

References consulted for the review dated August 16, 2026. Links lead to the original publications.

Sources support the general context. Evaluating a specific area or project requires first-party data, a declared method, and review by qualified professionals.