UPCYCLING OF NdFeB MAGNETS IN THE EU FOR GREEN APPLICATIONS

The NEO-CYCLE project aims to demonstrate at TRL6 the sustainable upcycling of spent NdFeB magnets comings from hard disks drives (HDDs), reaching high quality end products for 4 case studies: pharmaceutical, ammonia, fertilizers, and polymers industries; and will include necessary paths to reach the market uptake.

To reach this aim, NEO-CYCLE involves all the relevant actors in the value chain, from public authorities to WEEE recycler companies, technology developers, associations, NGOs, SMEs and commercial companies in the targeted sectors.

A summary of the main activities in provide below:1)Demonstration of a Solid-State Chlorination, Electrochemical and Purification processes at TRL6 to separate Nd, Fe and B reaching market needed purities.2)Demonstration of upcycling approaches for Nd, Fe, and B at TRL6 by developing industrial catalysts for the four case studies.3)Validation of the quality and performance of final products by leading commercial companies4)Including processes and products digitalisation: mathematical modelling and optimisation, monitoring and digital twins of plants, and digital product passports.5)Sustainability assessments (LCA, LCC, s-LCA, circularity, risk and energy efficiency, green logistics and TEA) to demonstrate the techno-economic and social viability of solutions, including a guide to consider the gender dimension in the different project stages.6)Paving the way to the market uptake by a) assessments of current legislations and future development, b) performing a standardisation roadmap, c) plan and develop communication, dissemination and exploitation activities including clustering with other projects and at least 13 stakeholder engagement events, d) creating new business models for at least 11 Key Expected Results, and e) development of 13 training courses targeting soft and technical skills to promote inclusion and new jobs in the value chains.