A comprehensive review on recycling of critical raw materials from spent neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnet

Abstract

The present paper focuses on the importance of critical raw materials (CRMs) of green energy technologies especially, wind mill and electric vehicle (EVs) sectors. The Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) magnet is one of the essential components of these green energy technologies. The rare earth elements (neodymium, praseodymium, and dysprosium) present in NdFeB magnet, due to their increasing demand, high-tech application, and limited availability, fall under the critical category. In the present review paper, the supply risk associated with these critical raw materials has been examined. To meet the demand of these critical rare earth metals, the end-of-life NdFeB magnets have emanated as a potential secondary resource of rare earths. Therefore, the recycling aspects of critical rare earth metals from spent NdFeB magnets have been comprehensively reviewed in the present paper under (i) Direct recycling of spent NdFeB magnets (ii) Extraction of critical rare earth metals using pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical, electrometallurgical methods. The advantages and limitations of different methods have been critically examined. The review indicated that the effectiveness of a recycling method depends on the type of spent NdFeB magnet (scrap, sludge or spent magnet) and their level of contamination. Particularly, direct recycling method suitable only for non-oxidized magnets (low contamination). Pyrometallurgical methods use high temperature processes recovering rare earths in the form of alloy or mixed compound, which require subsequent processing for purification. The yield and purity are in trade-off situation. Consumption of large amount of chemicals and loss of rare earths during purification of leach solution is one of the major drawbacks for hydrometallurgical processing of waste NdFeB magnet. Very few processes have been studied at a large scale from a commercialization aspect. Thus, there is a scope that exists in the coming future to develop a robust, eco-friendly, and energy-efficient process for selective extraction and separation of critical rare earth from spent NdFeB magnets. The efficient recovery of rare earth from spent NdFeB magnet will be very much helpful to avoid the supply risk associated with critical raw materials of green energy technologies.