Rare Earth Permanent Magnets:

Raw Materials, Magnets and

Opportunities

S. R. Trout

Outline

• Background

• Raw Materials

• Rare Earth Magnets

• Applications

• Final Thoughts

Background

SmCo5

Background

• 1976 Pittsburgh

• 1979 New York

• 1980 Boston

• 1981 Grenoble

• 1982 Montréal

• 1983 Philadelphia

• 1985 St. Paul

• 1986 Phoenix

• 1987 Tokyo

• 1989 Washington D.C.

• 1991 Pittsburgh

• 1994 Albuquerque

• 1995 San Antonio

• 2000 Toronto

• 2001 San Antonio

Previous Intermag Conferences

Raw Materials

Sc Y La

Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu

Raw Materials

• Ores contain all rare earths except Pm

• There is no shortage of ore

– Most rare earths are not rare

• Most ores are rich in Ce, La, Nd and Pr

• The rare earths are chemically very similar

• Producers try to balance supply and demand

Raw Materials

• Ores contain all rare earths except Pm

• There is no shortage of ore

– Most rare earths are not rare

• Most ores are rich in Ce, La, Nd and Pr

• The rare earths are chemically very similar

• Producers try to balance supply and demand

– And are rarely successful!

Bayan Obo mine ,near Baotou, China

Photo from Google Earth

1 km

Mountain Pass, CAPhoto from Molycorp

~1 km

Raw Materials

Nd19%

Pr6%

La23%

Ce50%

Others2%

Bastnasite

Raw Materials

Catalyst20%

Glass9%

Polishing12%

Metal Alloys20%

Magnets20%

Ceramics5% Others

7%

Markets

Phosphors7%

010,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,000

70,00080,00090,000

100,000110,000120,000130,000

1956 1966 1976 1986 1996 2006

Other USA China

Raw MaterialsP

rod

uct

ion

, met

ric

ton

s

Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Raw Materials

• Active mines

– China

• Baotou

• Ionic Ores

• Mines in transition

– USA

• Mountain Pass, CA

• Inactive mines or deposits

– Australia

• Mt. Weld

• Nolan’s Bore

– Canada

• Hoidas Lake

• Thor Lake

– India

– Brazil

– Vietnam

– Russia

Raw Materials

Source: Dudley Kingsnorth, IMCOA, 2009

Raw Materials

• Lack of viable ores

– Most rare earths are not rare

• Shortage of Neodymium

– A self-regulating market• Price

• Design

• Application

• Dysprosium and Terbium

– Constrained

• Abrupt changes are extremely disruptive

– Upsets balance

– Capital intensive industry

– Lengthy recovery

Issues

Rare Earth Magnets

Materials

• Sm-Co– SmCo5

– 2-17, Sm2(Co,Fe,Cu,Zr/Hf)17

• Nd-Fe-B– (Nd,Dy)2(Fe, Co)14B

Questions

• When?

• Who?

• Where used?

• Speed of implementation?

Rare Earth Magnets

• Unfinished business

– The Hci of Nd-Fe-B• Why do Dy and Tb Increase Hci?

• Updating the 1985 explanation

Rare Earth MagnetsSource: Livingston 1985

Rare Earth Magnets

Nd2-xDyxFe14B Nd2Fe14B

Source: NeomaxIncreasing x

Increasing x

Rare Earth Magnets

• Unfinished business

– The Hci of Nd-Fe-B• Why do Dy and Tb Increase Hci?

• Updating the 1985 explanation

• Controlling β, the temp. coefficient of Hci

• Wiser use of Dy and Tb

– Anisotropic bonded Nd-Fe-B

– Recycling, reuse

– Lower cost

Rare Earth Magnets

• Hard drive

– Voice Coil Motor (VCM)

– Spindle motors

ApplicationsSource: Western Digital

Rare Earth Magnets

• Automotive

– Current

Applications

Cruise Control

Mirror MotorsTailgate

MotorDoor Lock

MotorFour

Wheel Steering

Anti-skidSensor and

Motor

WindowLift

Motor

SuspensionSystem

FuelPumpMotor

Seat Belt

MotorSeat

AdjustMotors Antenna

LiftMotor

TractionControl

Heater-A/C Blower Throttle

and Crankshaft

PositionSensors

WindshieldWiperMotor

StarterMotor

CoolantFan

Motor

IgnitionSystems

HeadlightDoor

Motor

Economy and

PollutionControl

LiquidLevel

Indicators

WindshieldWasherPump

Gauges

CDPlayer

HeadRest

MotorSunRoof

Motor

ElectricPower

Steering and Sensor

Lumbar Support

AutomaticTemperature

Control

DoorGasket

DefoggerMotor

Speakers

Source: Magnequench

Rare Earth Magnets

• Automotive

– Hybrids

Applications

Source: Toyota

Rare Earth Magnets

• Wind Turbine

– Magnet vs. asynchronous

– One tonne of magnet per turbine

– The future?

ApplicationsSource: Vestas AS

Rare Earth Magnets

The Dy Issue

Source: MagnequenchHci (kOe)

(BH

) max

(MG

Oe)

Final Thoughts

Raw Materials

• Issues– Dysprosium

– Sudden changes

• Opportunities– Green technologies

• Magnets

• Ni-metal hydride batteries

• Lighting phosphors

Rare Earth Magnets

• Issues– Dysprosium

• What does it really do?

• How can we use less of it?

– Limited production outside China

• Opportunities– Hybrid vehicles

– Wind turbines

– Recycling

Final Thoughts

Presentation will be available on

www.spontaneousmaterials.com