What is it about?
This paper presents a systematic literature review focused on the environmental impacts and recycling pathways of Rare Earth Elements (REEs) used in permanent magnets (PMs) for industrial and automotive electric machines. Screening 850 publications down to 35 core studies, the review categorizes the state of the art into two primary areas: an analysis of current direct and indirect recycling technologies, and an evaluation of their environmental footprints using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. The paper identifies key technological bottlenecks and research gaps to support more sustainable and resilient critical raw material supply chains.
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Why is it important?
The global transition to a low-carbon economy relies heavily on electric vehicles and wind energy, driving an unprecedented demand for high-performance permanent magnets that require Critical Raw Materials (CRMs) like Neodymium and Dysprosium. However, the REE supply chain is highly vulnerable due to extreme geographical concentration, with China supplying 98% of the EU's demand and implementing strict export limits in 2025. Today, less than 1% of REEs are recycled globally because typical electronic waste shredding permanently dilutes and destroys these materials. This systematic review is crucial because it provides a comparative map of recycling routes and LCA data, showing how to align recovery processes with ambitious legislative frameworks like the EU Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), which targets 25% domestic recycling by 2030.
Perspectives
To fight climate change, we are building millions of electric cars and wind turbines, but their high-tech motors require special super-strong magnets made from "rare earth elements". Mining these materials is highly polluting, and almost the entire supply chain is controlled by a single country, creating major economic and environmental risks. Sadly, when electronic waste is recycled today, almost all of these magnets are shredded and permanently lost. This study reviewed years of global scientific research to find the best ways to recycle rare earth magnets. The results prove that recycling old magnets can slash carbon emissions and pollution compared to mining new ones. This review serves as an essential guide to help industries transition toward a cleaner, self-sufficient economy by recovering these precious green materials instead of throwing them away.
Maurizio Guadagno
Universita degli Studi di Firenze
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Environmental Impact and Recycling Routes of Rare Earth Elements in Permanent Magnets of Electric Machines for Industrial and Automotive Applications: A Systematic Review, March 2026, MDPI AG,
DOI: 10.3390/engproc2026131011.
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