REEsilience presents its groundbreaking approach to building a more sustainable and resilient supply chain for rare earth magnets in Europe
Hannover, Germany (18.04.2023) – The REEsilience project recently made a splash at Hannover Messe 2023 during the European Commission’s Raw Materials Day, one of the world’s largest industrial trade fairs. This special day was dedicated to discussing the future of raw materials in Europe and showcasing innovative projects like REEsilience. The project, funded by the Horizon Europe and managed by HaDEA, is focused on strengthening Europe’s raw materials supply while minimising environmental impact.
The presenter, Patrik Schumacher from the project partner Steinbeis Europa Zentrum, delved into the current state of the rare earth magnets industry, highlighting that Chinese imports meet 98% of the EU’s rare earth magnet demand. However, as Europe relies entirely on China for its rare earth magnet materials supply, the REEsilience project aims to change this dependency and create a secure and sustainable European supply chain.
After that, Patrik Schumacher presented what REEsilience is about. REEsilience is developing state-of-the-art recycling methods, using innovative software to track materials, and ranking them according to their sustainability and ethical standards. The critical factor is the CMT-based alloy/powder production, which optimises and automates magnet production, making it more efficient and reducing waste. In addition, the project aims to use already-used magnetic raw materials as input rather than relying on Chinese imports.
The presentation at Hannover Messe outlined the core aims of the REEsilience project, which include developing sustainable rare earth supply chains, increasing the use of secondary materials in production, implementing circular business models, strengthening Europe’s raw materials supply, producing strong magnets for strategic sectors, creating a direct link between raw material producers and end-users, and offering high-value, eco-friendly products.
The presenter highlighted the significant progress made since the project’s inception in July 2022. The team has identified numerous sources of rare earth elements (REE), created a comprehensive database, optimised sintering processes, and established a magnet powder production facility, among other achievements.
In conclusion, the REEsilience project has showcased its dedication to promoting sustainability, innovation, and self-reliance in Europe’s rare earth magnets industry at Hannover Messe 2023. The project’s achievements are expected to impact the industry, environment, and European strategic autonomy.
