The EU-funded SUSMAGPRO project developed a recycling route for neodymium-iron-boron magnets, covering the recovery of magnets from end-of-life equipment, processing into reusable material and production of new magnetic components.
The programme ran from June 2019 to November 2023, with a total cost of approximately €14.7 million, including nearly €13 million in EU funding. Its work focused on establishing a circular supply chain for rare-earth permanent magnets and moving the technology from raw-material research toward industrial deployment.
Hydrogen Processing Targets Magnet Scrap
A central element of the project was hydrogen processing of magnet scrap (HPMS). The technology uses hydrogen to enter the magnet structure and break the material apart into a powder that can subsequently be separated and reprocessed. Unlike processes that dissolve an entire magnet before chemically recovering individual elements, HPMS can retain more of the value contained in the original alloy.
The approach targets magnets containing neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium, which are present in products including used motors, hard drives, industrial equipment and wind-turbine components.
Recycling Feedstock for New Magnetic Components
SUSMAGPRO demonstrated the potential for recovered magnet materials to serve as an industrial feedstock rather than remaining in mixed scrap streams. The technology also contributed to commercial initiatives associated with HyProMag, extending the work beyond research publications and temporary pilot equipment. The project therefore covered multiple stages of the recycling chain, from recovering magnets from end-of-life equipment through material processing and the manufacture of new magnetic components.
Scrap Availability Remains a Constraint
Access to sufficient quantities of suitable scrap remains a constraint for magnet recycling. Magnets are distributed across a wide range of products and can be difficult to identify and remove. The availability of feedstock depends on collection systems, automated dismantling, digital product passports and design for disassembly, which can influence whether recycling facilities receive reliable volumes of magnet material. SUSMAGPRO established a process intended to be replicated industrially and created a route toward commercial ownership through initiatives associated with HyProMag.
