Recyclability and resource efficiency of Rare Earth based magnets (IA) -

Expected Outcome

Projects outcomes will enable achieving the expected impacts of the destination by increasing access to primary raw materials and secondary raw materials, in particular critical raw materials[1] for EU industrial value chains and strategic sectors.

Projects are expected to contribute to the following outcomes:

• Develop more cost effective and resource efficient rare earth permanent magnets.
• Improve recyclability, re-use, refurbishment and/or repurposing of end-of-life magnets.
• Improve responsible supply of raw materials to Europe in line with the EU principles for sustainable raw materials, which are a non-regulatory set of principles based on the EU acquis. They set out requirements for sustainable raw materials and extraction and processing in Europe in terms of social, environmental and economic performance.[2]
• Demonstrate contributions to EU climate neutrality objectives.

Actions are expected to contribute to the implementation the EU action plan on Critical Raw Materials[3] and the action plan on Rare Earth Magnets and Motors from the European Raw Materials Alliance[4].

Scope

Actions should improve design of rare earth permanent magnets that facilitate the reuse, re-use, refurbishment and/or repurposing and recycling and/or reduce the use of the critical raw materials. Priority is neodymium magnets, but other highly performant magnets can also be targeted if duly justified. The actions should finish at the TRL levels 6-7. Developed improved magnets and their recyclability should be tested in the final application in relevant motors or generators.

Actions could additionally address disruptive technologies for highly performant magnets.

Actions should envisage clustering activities with other relevant selected projects for cross-projects co-operation, consultations and joint activities on cross-cutting issues and share of results as well as participating in joint meetings and communication events. To this end proposals should foresee a dedicated work package and/or task, and earmark the appropriate resources accordingly.

Actions should facilitate the market uptake of solutions developed through industrially- and user-driven multidisciplinary consortia covering the relevant value chain and should consider standardisation aspects when relevant. The action should also include the analysis of financial opportunities ensuring the market exploitation and replication of the circular business model behind the developed solutions as new processes, products and/or services.

Actions should clearly demonstrate how they contribute to a decreased level of resource and energy consumption, and thus lead to a lower CO2 footprint.

Proposals submitted under this topic should include a business case and exploitation strategy, as outlined in the introduction to this Destination. For TRLs 6-7, a credible strategy to achieve future full-scale deployment in the EU is expected, indicating the commitments of the industrial partners after the end of the project.

In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and/or gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement, however, should you consider it to be of relevance for your specific proposal, you are strongly encouraged to do it.

Activities are expected to start at TRL 6 and achieve TRL 7 by the end of the project – see General Annex B.

[1]https://ec.europa.eu/growth/sectors/raw-materials/areas-specific-interest/critical-raw-materials_en

[2]https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/6d541f66-0f81-11ec-9151-01aa75ed71a1

[3]COM (2020) 474

[4]https://erma.eu/european-call-for-action/

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