Upcycling of NdFeB Permanent Magnets for Green Applications

The increasing demand for rare earth elements (REEs), particularly neodymium is driving the search for sustainable recovery pathways within Europe’s green transition. This study presents an integrated upcycling strategy for neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets, combining solid-state chlorination with selective separation techniques to efficiently recover neodymium, iron, and boron. The process achieves a REE recovery yield of 99.8 ± 0.1%, producing oxalates with a purity of up to 98.2%. This demonstrates the end-user potential as a precursor for active pharmaceutical ingredients. The iron fraction is also successfully valorised, as hydroxides as a catalyst for green ammonia production for fertiliser applications. The boron fraction is valorised as boron-based intermediates used in Pd-catalysed Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling for industrial production of active pharmaceutical ingredients. By integrating recovery and valorisation steps, the approach minimises waste while creating new value chains for recycled materials, aligning with circular economy principles. These findings demonstrate a viable pathway to enhance resource efficiency, reduce dependency on imported REEs, and support the European Union’s critical raw material strategy. Overall, the methodology provides critical insights into sustainable recycling practices for high-demand materials, offering a practical framework to advance low-impact technologies and promote the development of future green innovations.