CMI announces domestic rare-earth magnet partnership with INFINIUM

The U.S. Department of Energy's Critical Materials Institute announced today a new partnership with INFINIUM, a metals production technology company, to demonstrate the production of rare-earth magnets sourced and manufactured entirely in the U.S.

Currently, the majority of rare-earth metals and magnets, such as those used in the production of clean-energy technologies, consumer electronics and a host of other applications, are sourced and produced outside the U.S., posing manufacturing supply chain and security risks.

Discovering cost-efficient and environmentally friendly supplies of and alternatives to rare-earth metals and products has been a goal of CMI since its inception in 2013. INFINIUM, currently the only domestic producer of rare earth metals, will supply CMI with praseodymium-neodymium master alloys for the production of rare-earth magnets. The partnership intends to prove that entirely domestic "ores-to-magnets" production is feasible.

"We have accepted an unusually large and multi-faceted technological challenge from the Department of Energy," said Alex King, director of CMI. "CMI's rare-earth materials research and development expertise, combined with INFINIUM's unique production capabilities, make this an ideal partnership for advancing this important research."

"We are thrilled to have this partnership and look forward to working with the outstanding team at CMI to fulfill this challenge," said Steve Derezinski, CEO of INFINIUM. "In addition, we are happy to be full members of CMI and adding to our existing production of critical DyFe metal."

INFINIUM's success in producing energy efficient, clean metals domestically is supporting U.S. clean energy manufacturing.

The Critical Materials Institute is a Department of Energy Innovation Hub led by the U.S. Department of Energy's Ames Laboratory and supported by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy's Advanced Manufacturing Office. CMI seeks ways to eliminate and reduce reliance on rare-earth metals and other materials critical to the success of clean energy technologies.

Provided by Ames Laboratory