| Title |
Estimating potentially recoverable Nd from end-of-life (EoL) products to meet future US demands |
| ID_Doc |
20307 |
| Authors |
Maani, T; Mathur, N; Rong, CB; Sutherland, JW |
| Title |
Estimating potentially recoverable Nd from end-of-life (EoL) products to meet future US demands |
| Year |
2023 |
| Published |
|
| DOI |
10.1016/j.resconrec.2023.106864 |
| Abstract |
Owing to a growing interest in decarbonization, there is increasing attention to clean energy technologies such as electric vehicles (EVs) and wind turbines. These technologies rely on powerful rare earth permanent magnets (REPMs) such as Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) magnets. Neodymium has been identified as a critical material and is subject to supply chain risks. To mitigate this risk, circular economy strategies have been proposed. In this study, we estimate the Nd use (flows) in the U.S. for major applications, develop a dynamic model to predict the end-of-life (EoL) flows of products that contain REPMs, report on the potentially recoverable Nd from EoL products, and evaluate the significance of this secondary source of Nd relative to the overall U.S. demand. Results show that recycling at 15% efficiency can meet about 12% and reuse can meet up to 70% of Nd demand for EVs respectively in 2050. While the forecasted potential amount of secondary Nd is smaller for other products (relative to EVs), the REPMs contained in these products could satisfy a large portion of the future demand if their life cycles can be circularized. The stocks and flows estimated herein are relevant to inform policy measures to efficiently support the development of secondary materials' markets and push for higher collection rates and improved recycling efficiencies. |
| Author Keywords |
Circular economy; Material flow analysis; Recycling; Electric vehicles; Rare earth elements; Neodymium |
| Index Keywords |
Index Keywords |
| Document Type |
Other |
| Open Access |
Open Access |
| Source |
Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) |
| EID |
WOS:000992239500001 |
| WoS Category |
Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences |
| Research Area |
Engineering; Environmental Sciences & Ecology |
| PDF |
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