Brazil & UK supply chain boost for Ionic Rare Earths
Ionic Rare Earths Ltd managing director Tim Harrison talked with Proactive about recent milestones in the company's strategy to establish a secure and sustainable supply chain for rare earth elements.
The company, through its Viridion joint venture, has delivered its first shipment of recycled rare earth oxides to magnet manufacturing partners in Brazil. The oxides were extracted from end-of-life magnets sourced from wind turbines and MRI machines, processed at Ionic's demonstration facility in Belfast.
Harrison explained, "We took end-of-life magnets, shipped them to the UK, processed them to produce high-purity oxides, and now they're heading back to Brazil for further manufacturing." He emphasised the environmental advantages of recycling, noting the process significantly reduces carbon footprint and avoids issues like radionuclide contamination.
The recycling process, which involves crushing, grinding, digestion, and solvent extraction, provides a low-waste and low-impact alternative to traditional mining. Harrison highlighted its importance for local supply chain development in Brazil, aligning with the government’s recent $100 million support package to boost domestic value addition in rare earth production.
Harrison also discussed Ionic’s Memorandum of Understanding with EMR, a UK-based sustainable materials leader. The agreement will help secure feedstock for the Belfast facility and support the UK’s broader goals around energy security and net zero.
Looking ahead, the company is working on commercialising its technology and finalising a grant in the UK to expand recycling capabilities. "We've got visibility on the milestones passed and we're hopeful about finalising the grant soon," Harrison said.
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