Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from magnetic waste in the WEEE recycling industry and tailings from the iron ore industry

Indumetal participates in the REECOVER project (FP7, 2013–2016), with the aim of strengthening the European supply of critical raw materials, and more specifically rare earth elements — such as neodymium (Nd), yttrium (Y), terbium (Tb) and dysprosium (Dy) — which are essential for strategic sectors such as renewable energies, electric mobility and advanced technologies.

Under the coordination of SINTEF and with the participation of 14 companies from 6 different countries, the initiative addresses the entire value chain of these materials, from their recovery from industrial waste to their transformation into new products, thereby helping to consolidate the position of European SMEs in the field of rare earth recycling and recovery.

In this context, Indumetal Recycling plays a key role as a supplier of input streams, providing materials from the recycling of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE). In particular, this waste includes fractions with a high rare-earth content, such as magnetic materials, which represent a strategic source of secondary raw materials.