High-Purity REO Production:
Ionic’s patented process produces ≥99.5% pure Nd, Pr, Dy, Tb, and Ho oxides-critical for:
EV Motors (Ford’s Halewood plant requires 600 tpa of magnet materials).
Defence Systems (F-35 jets, hypersonic missiles, radar).
Wind Turbines (offshore wind targets: 50 GW by 2030).
Leverage: Position as the only Western company capable of closed-loop, high-purity REO production from recycled and primary sources.
Feedstock Flexibility:
Processes both recycled magnets/swarf and mining concentrates (e.g., Makuutu ionic clays), ensuring supply chain resilience.
61% Lower CO₂ Emissions:
Validated by lifecycle analysis vs. mined REEs, aligning with the UK’s net-zero 2050 targets and Critical Minerals Strategy 2025.
Job Creation:
100+ skilled jobs in Belfast, supporting regional growth and the Industrial Strategy 2035.
Ford, LCM, VAC Integration:
Ford: Testing recycled magnets for 500,000 EV drive units/year at Halewood.
LCM: Converts REOs to alloys, ensuring midstream integration.
VAC: Produces magnets and returns scrap, closing the loop.
Leverage: Demonstrates a fully traceable, sovereign supply chain-a UK government priority.
British Geological Survey (BGS):
Co-developed feasibility study (NPV $502M, IRR 43.6%), de-risking the project for public funding.
Critical Minerals Strategy 2025:
Ionic’s plant directly addresses Strategic Pillar 1 (Accelerate) by boosting domestic REE production and recycling.
Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF):
Supports projects that strengthen UK EV supply chains-Ionic’s REOs will supply 886,559 EV drives/year.
Defence Priorities:
High-purity Dy/Tb oxides are vital for defence systems (e.g., drones, radar).
No other company in the UK currently offers what Ionic Technologies delivers in rare earth magnet recycling and separation. No other UK company currently operates a demonstration-scale plant producing separated, high-purity REOs from recycled magnets with this level of technical validation, supply chain integration, and government backing. Other UK initiatives (e.g., HyProMag) focus on short-loop recycling (magnet-to-magnet powder) but do not deliver the same level of individual REO separation and purity as Ionic’s long-loop hydrometallurgical process.
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