Hydrogen-based recycling cuts rare earth magnet emissions by 90%

The UK has inaugurated a commercial-scale rare earth magnet recycling facility in the West Midlands, marking a significant advancement in its clean energy transition and critical minerals strategy. Located at Tyseley Energy Park in Birmingham, the plant employs a hydrogen-driven recycling process called Hydrogen Processing of Magnet Scrap (HPMS), developed by the University of Birmingham. This innovative method enables the extraction of rare earth magnets from end-of-life products without full dismantling, breaking them down into reusable powder while preserving magnetic properties. The facility can process over 400 kilograms of rare earth alloy per batch and produce up to 300 tonnes of sintered magnets annually on multiple shifts, reintroducing sintered magnet manufacturing to the UK for the first time in 25 years. The HPMS technology significantly reduces the carbon footprint of magnet production by approximately 90% compared to conventional mining and processing methods. The project, funded by Innovate UK and supported by various research and industrial partners, aligns with the UK government’s Vision 2035: Critical