Mkango Resources (AIM:MKA) has launched a rare earth magnet facility at Tyseley Energy Park in Birmingham, UK – marking the first commercial rare earth magnet production in the country in 25 years.
The facility can recover over 400kg of rare earth alloy per batch using the patented hydrogen processing of magnet scrap (HPMS) technology reactor and can produce new sintered magnets from recycled rare earth alloy at a capacity of 100 tonnes per year on a single shift. The facility can also produce over 300 tonnes annually on multiple shifts.
HyProMag CEO William Dawes says this development provides a strong platform for further scale-up in the UK and international roll out which is underway in Germany and the US.
“This is a landmark achievement and transformational for rare earth supply chains, bringing back magnet manufacturing to the UK after 25 years and is underpinned by a home-grown technology, HPMS, that not only delivers a cost advantage, but has a minimal carbon footprint,” Dawes says.
The facility, developed by the Magnetic Materials Group at the University of Birmingham and commissioned and constructed alongside HyProMag, is considered a key enabler of the UK Government’s 2025 Critical Minerals Strategy. The strategy is targeting the UK to meet 10% of annual critical mineral demand by domestic sources and 20% to be met through recycling by 2035.
As Mining.com.au reported, despite the importance of critical minerals, the UK currently produces none of the 34 minerals listed as critical in the UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre’s 2024 Criticality Assessment.
UK Critical Minerals Association founder Jeff Townsend says the strategy is threefold as it outlines the nation’s plan to build or deliver what it can domestically.
“Secondly, drive investment and structure through changing the environment of the sector for players – building on that midstream,” Townsend told this news service.
“Then number three, it’s how do we make sure that we transition to the future green economy, the less globalised economy, in a way that is responsible.”
In parallel with development of the UK facility, HyProMag is rolling out HPMS technology into Germany and the US, while also evaluating other jurisdictions such as Canada, Japan, and South Korea.
HyProMag is the main industrial partner for the UK project and the exclusive HPMS licence.
Mkango Resources is a dual-listed company focused on producing recycled rare earth magnets, alloys and oxides. The company holds 100% interest in HyProMag.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Mkango Resources
