Geomechanics.io

  • Free Tools
Sign UpLog In

Geomechanics.io

Geomechanics, Streamlined.

© 2026 Geomechanics.io. All rights reserved.

Geomechanics.io

CMRR-ioGEODB-ioHYDROGEO-ioQCDB-ioFree Tools & CalculatorsBlogLatest Industry News

Industries

MiningConstructionTunnelling

Company

Terms of UsePrivacy PolicyLinkedIn
    Projects
    Product
    Sustainability

    Hertha Metals magnet-grade iron: FLEXHERS process and 2027 deadline for engineers

    August 19, 2026|

    Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

    Hertha Metals magnet-grade iron: FLEXHERS process and 2027 deadline for engineers

    First reported on MINING.com

    30 Second Briefing

    Hertha Metals has produced 99.95% purity (3N5) magnet-grade iron at its demonstration-scale FLEXHERS (flexible fuel hydrogen electric reduction smelting) plant in Conroe, Texas, using fully domestic iron ore and natural gas. The Houston startup says it is the first US producer to meet top rare earth magnet makers’ iron specifications with entirely domestic inputs, addressing a material that currently is almost wholly imported. With US defence manufacturers facing a 1 January 2027 deadline to cut Chinese-origin magnet content, Hertha plans its next Chalyx facility to supply high-purity iron for NdFeB magnet producers.

    Technical Brief

    • Demonstration-scale facility is located at Conroe, Texas, operated by Houston-based startup Hertha Metals.
    • High-purity iron feed makes up roughly 70% by weight of NdFeB magnets in EVs and turbines.
    • Current US consumption of magnet-grade iron is “almost entirely” met by imports, according to Hertha.
    • CEO Laureen Meroueh frames high‑purity iron as a “least visible” but critical defence and EV material.

    Our Take

    Hertha Metals’ 3N5 iron purity aligns with its earlier plan to supply 10,000 t/y of high‑purity iron from Conroe, Texas, which in our database is one of the few US‑based magnet feed projects explicitly tied to Department of Defense supply‑chain objectives.

    With defence manufacturers facing a January 2027 deadline to cut Chinese‑origin magnet content, the 70% iron weight fraction in neodymium‑iron‑boron magnets means any scalable US iron nitride or magnet‑grade iron output could become a bottleneck or price lever, even if rare earth separation capacity expands on schedule.

    Geotechnical Software for Modern Teams

    Centralise site data, logs, and lab results with GEODB-io, CMRR-io, and HYDROGEO-io.

    No credit card required.

    • Save and export unlimited calculations
    • Advanced data visualisation
    • Generate professional PDF reports
    • Cloud storage for all your projects

    Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.

    Related Articles

    Tokamak Energy HTS fusion magnets: Demo4 test insights for design engineers
    Materials
    1 day ago

    Tokamak Energy HTS fusion magnets: Demo4 test insights for design engineers

    Tokamak Energy has completed a 14‑month test campaign on Demo4, its high‑temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet testbed in Oxford, aimed at validating magnet performance for compact spherical tokamak fusion reactors. The Demo4 system is designed to operate HTS coils at cryogenic temperatures while subjecting them to high magnetic fields and mechanical loads representative of reactor conditions, a critical step for future fusion power plant infrastructure. Results will inform structural design, thermal management and lifecycle performance of full‑scale HTS magnet assemblies for grid‑scale fusion demonstrators.

    McHale’s new Metso Lokotrack crushers: design and efficiency notes for plant engineers
    Materials
    1 day ago

    McHale’s new Metso Lokotrack crushers: design and efficiency notes for plant engineers

    Metso distributor McHale Plant Sales is taking orders in the UK and Ireland for two new Lokotrack units – the 70‑tonne LT400RS diesel‑electric mobile impact crusher and the LT200HPX mobile cone crusher with integrated screening – with deliveries from early 2025. The LT400RS, built around a 250 kW Nordberg NP1213MR impactor and 430 kW genset, targets concrete, asphalt and mixed demolition waste containing rebar and wood, using a 6.4 m² two‑deck screen, wind sifter and electromagnet to improve separation, fuel use and CO₂ output. The LT200HPX packages a Nordberg HP200e cone, two‑deck pre‑screen and 5.6 m² product screen on a single track chassis with wide conveyors and smart folding for high‑capacity, easily transported hard‑rock and aggregate production.

    Heidelberg low carbon concrete at 33–35 Piccadilly: mix design notes for engineers
    Materials
    1 day ago

    Heidelberg low carbon concrete at 33–35 Piccadilly: mix design notes for engineers

    Heidelberg has supplied low carbon concrete, using carbon capture–decarbonised cement and GGBS, to Realtime Civil Engineering and Kier for the Crown Estate’s 33–35 Piccadilly redevelopment in central London. The mix design replaces a significant portion of Portland clinker with ground granulated blast-furnace slag, cutting embodied CO₂ compared with conventional CEM I concrete while maintaining structural performance suitable for a high-end commercial building. For contractors and designers, the project shows practical deployment of carbon capture–enabled binders on a constrained urban site with demanding specification control.

    Related Industries & Products

    Mining

    Geotechnical software solutions for mining operations including CMRR analysis, hydrogeological testing, and data management.

    CMRR-io

    Streamline coal mine roof stability assessments with our cloud-based CMRR software featuring automated calculations, multi-scenario analysis, and collaborative workflows.

    HYDROGEO-io

    Comprehensive hydrogeological testing platform for managing, analysing, and reporting on packer tests, lugeon values, and hydraulic conductivity assessments.

    GEODB-io

    Centralised geotechnical data management solution for storing, accessing, and analysing all your site investigation and material testing data.

    AllGeotechnicalInfrastructureHazardsEnvironmental