Rare Earth Information 

Rare Earth elements which were unknown to the majority of the general public have become national news in the last year. 

The magnet industry has used samarium, neodymium, dysprosium and other rare earths for decades as they are a very important ingredient in magnet design.  Many of these magnets have enabled new technologies and are also critical to green initiatives such as wind turbines and hybrid cars. 

In this section we will outline our position as well as provide general information on rare earths.     

Arnold Magnetic Technologies position on Rare Earths

RECOMA^® Samarium Cobalt (SmCo).  Arnold has a “mine to magnets” solution for its production of samarium cobalt magnets.  We are the only supplier producing SmCo at three different locations, Lupfig, Switzerland, Rochester, NY and China. 

Most of the material produced in Lupfig stays in Europe.  They also send SmCo block to Rochester NY for fabrication into magnets for industrial and military use as the material is DFARS compliant.  The material produced in  Rochester  is primarily used to supply the traveling wave tube market for use in the U.S..  

The material produced in China generally stays in China.  We have a relationship with a rare earth mine to provide either SmCo alloy or samarium for this facility as well as our other facilities. 

We do not believe that any other supplier has such a robust supply chain for its SmCo magnet production. 

 Many of our customers are worried about the future supply of SmCo magnets.  We are highly confident that our supply chain will allow us an uninterrupted source of raw materials to comply with the relationships and agreements that we have in place to produce the magnets needed.  If requested, we are also able to stock material for our customers. 

Samarium Cobalt as the Rare Earth Magnet Material of Choice 

Samarium Cobalt magnets are a great choice when designing motors, generators or sensing systems.  Unlike neodymium and even more importantly dysprosium which is used to give neodymium iron boron magnets higher temperature performance, there is an excess of samarium in the rare earth supply chain.  We estimate that SmCo magnet usage could almost triple before the supply chain was constrained. 

If you are considering using SmCo or any other magnet material in your application, please do not hesitate to contact us with your needs. 

General Information

Below is a list of current papers and presentations.  We will continue adding information to this list as it becomes available.  

- Global Outlook for Cobalt - April 2012
            Since we use cobalt in the manufacturing of our Recoma® Samarium Cobalt magnets, Alnico magnets and 
            precision rolled strips and foils, we have provided this summary of several reports on the future supply, 
            demand and pricing of cobalt on a global scale.

- A Rare Earth Update - May, 2011
            UPDATE on the Rare Earth Situation as of May 2011 based on recent trip to China and visits to local
            producers.  This is the most up to date information in the industry on neodymium iron boron (Neo or NdFeB)
            magnets supply. 

- Rare Earth Materials Update - May, 2011
            A presentation given at the Spring SMMA conference on the uses and status of Rare Earth magnets.
 
- RECOMA® Samarium Cobalt magnets, the solution to the rare earth crisis?        
            This paper is a short summary of the strengths of SmCo and shows it is at energy parity with neo at 150C

- Rare Earth Materials - How Scarce Are They?
           SMMA - Spring 2010 Management Conference Presentation

- The Magnet Challenge               
        ARPA-E Workshop, Rare Earth and Critical Materials Presentation, December 2010 

- A Brief Overview of Rare Earths from the Perspecitve of a Magnet Producer
           Arnolds presentation at REITA, January 2011

- U.S House Committee on Foreign Affairs Hearing on Supply of Rare Earths Video         
          Rob Strahs testimony in front of The U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on 
          Asia and the Pacific regarding issues involving the supply of rare earth materials from China and its
          impact on their use in rare earth magnets and magnetic assemblies used in many U.S. aerospace,
          defense and energy applications.

- The Important Role of Dysprosium in Modern Permanent Magnets
         One of the more important uses for dysprosium (Dy), a heavy rare earth element (HREE), is in 
         neodymium‐iron‐boron (Neo) permanent magnets to improve the magnets’ high temperature
         performance and resistance to demagnetization. Neo magnets have become essential for a
         wide range of consumer, transportation, power generation, defense, aerospace, medical,
         industrial and other products. The demand for Dy is outstripping its supply. The shortage
         and associated high prices are also upsetting the market for commercial and industrial motors
         and products made using them.  This white paper provides more detailed information on issues
         surrounding Dy in association with permanet magnets.
 

Links to more information regarding Rare Earth Magnets:

Article from: Technology Review, published by MIT:   http://www.technologyreview.com/energy/37344