Keywords:
Recycling NdFeB magnets, Green Chemistry, Critical raw materials, Rare Earth Elements, Metallurgy
Metals of the rare earth group are included in the list of critical elements for the European Union as there is no internal production in Europe but is 100% importer. These metals play a fundamental role in the ecological transition as they are used for example in NdFeB permanent magnets, essential for the operation of wind turbines and electric vehicle motors. Since today there are no active mines for their production in Europe, it is necessary to find alternative sources of production, and an alternative is the recycling of end-of-life products that contain these elements. A key product rich in these elements are the NdFeB magnets at the end of their life, whose recycling to date is practically not applied due to economic problems, in particular the poor if not absent profitability of the process, and technological. The purpose of my project is to design a recycling process that uses eco-friendly methods.
