Technologies of Recycling REEs and Iron from NdFeB Scrap

Abstract

In recent years, under the background of global low-carbon development, the production of NdFeB magnets has increased dramatically. With the end of magnet life, a large number of discarded products will be produced in the future. At the same time, 6–73% of industrial waste will be produced in the manufacturing process of magnets. The rare earth content (about 30 wt.%) of these magnet scraps is generally higher than that of raw ore, and the recovery of rare earth elements from them helps to stabilize the global rare earth supply chain. In addition, NdFeB scrap contains about 70 wt.% of iron, which is currently unable to be utilized with high added value. If iron can be recycled based on recycling rare earth elements, it is expected to realize the full component recycling of NdFeB waste and reduce the full life cycle environmental load of NdFeB products. This paper summarizes the properties, recycling potential, and existing recycling technologies of NdFeB waste, and it summarizes the principles, advantages, and disadvantages of various recycling methods, such as direct reuse, pyrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, and electrochemistry. Among them, the electrochemical recovery method was emphatically reviewed as a newly proposed method. On this basis, the future development direction of NdFeB waste recycling has been prospected, and the research idea of avoiding the shortcomings of various recycling methods through the combined process is proposed. It is proposed that low environmental hazards, low energy consumption, and a closed-loop process are the main goals to be achieved in the recycling process.