Cyclic and Solvay Sign Supply Agreement for Recycled Rare Earth Oxide

Canadian recycler Cyclic Materials has reached an agreement to supply Belgium's Solvay with recycled mixed rare earth oxide (rMREO) starting from late 2024. This development follows an initial agreement made in February 2023, after confirming the compatibility of Cyclic's product with Solvay's separation process.

The recycled oxide will be transported from Cyclic's new Hub100 facility in Ontario, Canada, to Solvay's plant located in La Rochelle, France.

"This agreement is in line with our sustainable sourcing strategy to deliver magnet grades of NdPr (neodymium-praseodymium) and Nd (neodymium) oxides to our customers by early 2025," stated An Nuyttens, president of Solvay Special Chem. She further noted, "Through this partnership, we are establishing a circular loop to reintegrate recycled MREO back into the magnet supply chain."

Since late 2022, Solvay has been working towards creating a rare earths hub for the permanent magnet value chain in La Rochelle. This initiative aims to enhance Europe's self-sufficiency and provide services to customers in the electric vehicle, wind power, and electronics sectors by 2025.

Founded in 2021, Cyclic Materials is focused on developing technologies to convert end-of-life products into raw materials, with plans to establish facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia to meet regional MREO demand. The company has attracted investments from notable entities, including BMW i Ventures, the capital venture arm of the German automaker. Earlier this year, Cyclic also signed an agreement with German magnet materials manufacturer Vacuumschmelze to recycle rare earth magnets in North America.