New Consortium Addresses Projected Global Shortages of Rare Earth Magnets and Materials

“After decades of reengineering, corporate rationalizations and the “offshoring” of manufacturing and innovation, the US is devoid of the entire value chain for producing fully dense rare earth permanent magnets,” said Keith Delaney, Executive Director of the Rare Earth Industry and Technology Association. “Compounding the problem, our existing “offshored” supply chains (and US producers of bonded permanent magnets) are totally dependent on China for rare earth raw materials. With China forecasted to be unable to meet the global 10 to 15 percent annual growth – the nation’s vulnerability is evident.”

Keith took the time to answer a few questions on this topic and about his upcoming presentation at Magnetics 2010.

Q: Are there any technology advancements or economical factors that make your presentation timely?

A: The timeliness of this presentation hinges on the fact that urgent action is required by global stakeholders to create diverse and secure supply chains for Rare Earth permanent magnets because the likelihood that these technologies will be available - except only within China itself, is highly doubtful within as little as a few years.

Q: How can/will the information you provide impact attendees or their business operations?

A: REITA is a non-profit corporation that represents just a consortium of global stakeholders who have banded together to take action to create diverse and secure supply chains for Rare Earth permanent magnets.  Membership in the Consortium is open to any global company or institution that has technical or commercial capabilities that can help the group create diverse and secure supply chains for Rare Earth permanent magnets and other Rare Earth technologies 

Q: Who is your presentation most targeted towards?

A: The presentation is geared to all stakeholders who value diverse and secure supply chains for Rare Earth permanent magnet technologies including research institutions, producers of Rare Earth raw materials, magnet metals, alloys, fully dense/bonded magnets, motors/devices/assemblies, OEMs and the government

Q: What lasting value will the attendee receive?

A: The enduring message intended to be left with the attendees is that government officials, OEMs and motors/motor assembly manufacturers all support the creation of new diverse and secure supply chains for Rare Earth permanent magnets.  With this kind of support and through the collaboration of like-minded companies and institutions, such as those within REITA’s Consortium of members, the goal can be accomplished in a reasonable timeframe.

Magnetics Materials are in Tight Supply – Learn How Selecting the Appropriate Magnet for Your New Product is Critical

With magnetics materials in tight supply, selecting the appropriate magnet for your new product is critical. Hear from expert consultant, Dr. Peter Campbell at MAGNETICS 2010. Dr. Campbell’s presentation is titled, The Performance and Economic Trade-Offs Between Sintered and Bonded NdFeB Permanent Magnets for Major Commercial Applications. Dr. Campbell took the time to discuss this topic, its value and why it is important in today’s economic environment.

Q: Are there any technology advancements or economical factors that make your presentation timely?

A: NdFeB has become the standard for high performance permanent magnet devices, and no amount of research has yet promised any viable commercial alternative. But with raw materials supply tight, selection of the most appropriate type and grade of NdFeB to use in a new product is critical.

Q: How can/will the information you provide impact attendees or their business operations?

A: Because of its nature, the NdFeB magnet is a dominant component of product cost, so an assessment of commercial viability will benefit from an understanding of price and performance trends.

Q: Who is your presentation most targeted towards?

A: This presentation is targeted at those involved in engineering, development or management of a product that uses a permanent magnet.

Q: What lasting value will the attendee receive?

A: The attendee will understand whether his current choice may be changed beneficially to a different magnet type, or whether to wait for some future development.

Q: Any other comments for our attendees?

A: The attendees will hear from a presenter who has been recognized for his expertise in the technology, application and marketing of permanent magnet materials for more than 30 years, including a period with Magnequench, Inc. as its head of Technology and head of Sales. 

Rare Earth Minerals Alternative Impacts Future Business Strategies 

Mark Smith, the CEO of Molycorp Minerals LLC will give a presentation at MAGNETICS 2010 titled, Rare Earth Minerals: The Indispensable Resource for Clean Energy Technologies. Mark took the time to discuss this topic, its value and its importance in today’s environment.

Q: Are there any technology advancements or economical factors that make your presentation timely?

A: Molycorp Minerals will employ vastly superior processes in the extraction of rare earth elements from the ore body at Mountain Pass compared to those used previously.  For example, we will use more than 50 percent less ore to extract the same amount of rare earths as in the past operation.  We will reduce our use of fresh feed water by 97 percent and we will recycle at least 30 percent of our reagents.  In addition, we are currently examining more efficient methods to produce alloys and magnets.  Our progress in these areas means we will operate the most cost-effective and efficient facilities in the industry.

Q: How can/will the information you provide impact attendees or their business operations?

A: Any company that consumes NdFeB or SmCo magnets will be impacted by the restart of Mountain Pass and the downstream integration into alloy and magnet production that is part of the Molycorp Minerals strategy for rebuilding critical supply chains to support the clean energy economy.  Virtually all rare earth magnet materials originate in China and, as China continues to consume more and more of its rare earth production to support their stated goals to be the global leaders in hybrid & electric vehicle production, wind power generation, and compact fluorescent lighting; the risk to the supply chain for magnet materials is obvious.  Molycorp Minerals offers the chance to mitigate the risk that your business would have to move to China in order to obtain necessary rare earth materials.

Q: Who is your presentation most targeted towards?

A: Anyone involved in any facet of rare earth magnet consumption and that absolutely includes OEM’s who consume components in which the magnets are used; they need to fully understand their supply chain as well.

Q: What lasting value will the attendee receive?

A: Knowing that soon they will have an alternative that will have a dramatic impact to their future business strategy. 

Q: Any other comments for our attendees?

A: Molycorp Minerals is open for business.  We are producing early stage magnet materials now and are willing to talk to consumers for future supplies today.  Molycorp Minerals already has, in hand, letters of intent representing 145 percent of its planned production rates.

The World of Magnetics is Changing Rapidly!

Ian London, the vice president of Avalon Rare Metals, Inc. will give a presentation at MAGNETICS 2010 titled, Growing Demands and the Delicate Balance for Rare Earth Supply. Ian took the time to discuss this topic, its value and its importance in today’s environment.

Q: Are there any technology advancements or economical factors that make your presentation timely? 

A: We are seeing a move toward higher prices for individual rare earth elements, driven by decreasing availability due to competing geopolitical priorities and policies, competing technology applications, extended development periods in bringing new resources into production, and/or broken supply chains. There is clearly a mega-trend toward a greener energy economy, which is driving the accelerated development of new materials applications, many of which are enabled through rare earths. At the same time, increased diligence and corporate social responsibility are extending the full implementation of raw material supply and recycling solutions. 

Advances in material science and new applications are being made on multiple fronts. Although there is significant funding going into material science and nano-technology solutions, there is little evidence that these advances are eliminating the pressures for REE supply. To the contrary, while they may be reducing demand on a per unit application basis, the number of applications is increasing.  The primary threat to rare earth supply to the magnet industry may actually be from competing end uses (e.g. phosphors) and new applications (e.g. the substitution of REEs for zinc in chromate paints or the development of superconducting materials).

Q: How can/will the information you provide impact attendees or their business operations?

A: I expect to provide attendees with a sense of the current developments as it relates to the competing demands for rare earths, the state of alternate supply chain development, and the potential risks affecting such, with the intent of offering a measure of confidence in the western economies drive towards their desired greener energy economies.

Q: Who is your presentation most targeted towards?

A: The presentation is designed to speak to all magnet makers and the supply chain players that feed the magnet makers and the supply chain to their end users, (including economic policy experts and academia).

Q: What lasting value will the attendee receive?

A: It is important for all contributors in the magnet supply chain (from raw material to end-use application producers), including academia and policy makers, to understand where the supply chain begins and its attendant costs, concerns and abilities to address the delicate supply balance and growing demand

Q: Any other comments for our attendees?

A: The demand for magnet solutions and rare metals has risen abruptly while the investment, performance and global trade conditions under which the resource development and processing industries have become more complex. We are dealing with a rapidly developing subject area; one that requires a longer-term perspective with nearer term solutions. Western-based economies will require, and are initiating bold and collaborative efforts to successfully meet its expectations for a sustainable future.