US Presidential Determination targets recoverable rare earths and permanent magnets

The US government is moving to treat recoverable critical minerals- including end-of-life rare-earth permanent magnets, manufacturing swarf and other waste - as strategic national defence resources. A recent presidential determination gives the Department of Commerce a legal basis to introduce measures that could restrict exports and prioritise domestic recovery. For the rare-earth and magnet supply chain, the US may seek to restrict exports of end-of-life NdFeB magnets, retain magnet-manufacturing scrap and swarf domestically, and limit exports of rare-earth-bearing waste to overseas processors. It could also support US-based magnet dismantling, demagnetisation, separation and rare-earth recovery, improving domestic access to secondary NdPr, Dy and Tb feedstock and creating a more secure supply base for US magnet manufacturing.