Geomechanics.io

  • Free Tools
Sign UpLog In
Projects
Product
Sustainability

Ionic recycled rare earth EV motor magnets: supply chain lessons for engineers

May 12, 2026|

Reviewed by Tom Sullivan

Ionic recycled rare earth EV motor magnets: supply chain lessons for engineers

First reported on MINING.com

30 Second Briefing

Ionic Rare Earths has led a UK–European collaboration with Less Common Metals, GKN and Ford UK to complete what it calls the Western world’s first end-to-end recycled rare earth supply chain for EV motor magnets, using “made-in-Belfast” long-loop recycling technology. Recycled neodymium, dysprosium and terbium oxides at >99.5% purity were converted by LCM into strip alloy, then into GKN magnets that passed Ford Dunton rotor durability tests with performance equivalent to production magnets. The Belfast commercial recycling plant will feed LCM alloy production for Ford’s UK EV facilities, directly supporting the UK Critical Minerals Strategy target of sourcing 20% of mineral needs from recycling by 2035.

Technical Brief

  • Ionic’s Belfast facility is being developed as a commercial-scale rare earth magnet recycling plant for EV supply.
  • Feedstock includes end-of-life magnets and secondary scrap from within existing magnet manufacturing supply chains.
  • Ionic’s proprietary hydrometallurgical process yields individually separated Nd, Dy and Tb oxides at >99.5% purity.
  • Less Common Metals converts these recycled oxides into rare earth metal and strip alloy to magnet specification.
  • GKN fabricates magnets from LCM strip alloy to Ford’s dimensional and performance specifications for traction motors.
  • Ford’s Dunton R&D centre subjects rotors with recycled-magnet assemblies to full durability test cycles for validation.
  • The project is one of 36 circular rare earth initiatives funded under the UK government’s CLIMATES programme.
  • UK Critical Minerals Strategy targets by 2035 are 10% domestic mineral production and 20% from recycling, up from 6% domestic today.

Our Take

Less Common Metals’ role in both this Ionic-led UK recycling chain and USA Rare Earth’s yttrium and CHIPS-backed projects positions the Cheshire–Belfast corridor as one of the few Western rare earth processing clusters with multi-customer, multi-commodity capability.

The UK’s 20% recycling target for critical minerals by 2035 implicitly favours processes like Ionic Technologies’ Belfast-based plant that can deliver >99.5% purity oxides, as these grades are already aligned with magnet-makers’ specifications and reduce the need for additional refining steps.

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

Interface 5600 2-Axis Axial Torsion Load Cell: test rig gains for engineers
Materials
2 days ago

Interface 5600 2-Axis Axial Torsion Load Cell: test rig gains for engineers

The Interface 5600 2-Axis Axial Torsion Load Cell combines compressive force and torsional moment measurement in a single flange-mount transducer, capturing both at the same point for demanding test and measurement rigs. Its compact, multi-axis design reduces fixture complexity compared with separate axial and torque sensors, freeing space around test specimens and simplifying alignment. For mining equipment OEMs and materials labs, the unit supports more accurate characterisation of drill strings, couplings and rotating components under combined loading.

Siniat plasterboard carbon cuts: EPD data and design implications for engineers
Materials
5 days ago

Siniat plasterboard carbon cuts: EPD data and design implications for engineers

Drywall manufacturer Siniat has achieved a 5% reduction in carbon intensity across its plasterboard products following a £170m upgrade of its Bristol HQ production line (opened March 2025) and improvements at its Ferrybridge plant, enabling retirement of older, less energy‑efficient equipment. The programme forms part of parent company Etex’s target to cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 35% using higher recycled content, lower energy intensity per tonne and a zero‑waste‑to‑landfill approach. Verified Environmental Product Declarations now cover over 86% of Siniat products, giving designers and contractors project‑level carbon data aligned with UK Net Zero Carbon Building Standard reporting.

Niron $150M iron nitride magnet plant: supply chain signals for materials engineers
Materials
8 days ago

Niron $150M iron nitride magnet plant: supply chain signals for materials engineers

Niron Magnetics has secured a $150 million loan from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community and a conditional $150 million, 20‑year direct loan commitment from the US Department of War’s Office of Strategic Capital to build its first full‑scale iron nitride magnet plant in Sartell, Minnesota. The facility, targeting start-up in 2027, will manufacture rare-earth-free iron nitride permanent magnets, aiming to establish a domestic supply for defence and other critical industries. For materials and mining suppliers, the project signals growing demand for iron-based magnet feedstocks and equipment for end-to-end magnet manufacturing lines.

Related Industries & Products

Mining

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

Construction

Quality control software for construction companies with material testing, batch tracking, and compliance management.

QCDB-io

Comprehensive quality control database for manufacturing, tunnelling, and civil construction with UCS testing, PSD analysis, and grout mix design management.

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
    AllGeotechnicalInfrastructureHazardsEnvironmental