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Inovertis is completing a comprehensive sustainability assessment (LCA, LCCA and s-LCA) with the aim to compare the supply of rare earth master alloy (REMA) to the European market through the REEPRODUCE value chain and the current conventional route, regarding the sustainable development fields: environment, cost efficiency, society.

The conventional route is modelled as the supply of Chinese REE. Indeed, in 2019, China was generating 60% of the worldwide REE permanent magnet production. Additionally, the Chinese government is the owner of the world biggest REE mine in Bayan Obo which account for about 43% of the worldwide production of Neodymium (Nd) and Praseodymium (Pr). Moreover 34% of the global REE reserves are located within the Chinese territory.

In the context of the REEPRODUCE project, Inovertis has achieved the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA -environment) and social Life Cycle Assessment (s-LCA – social) results. The current findings are based on bench-scale results and a significant number of hypotheses, which will be validated or revised through the trials conducted with the pilots at a later stage of the project.

In terms of the LCA, this assessment compares the REEPRODUCE solution with the conventional scenario depending on the type of EoL product treated. These scenarios are compared on impact categories: Climate change (kg CO2 eq.); Resource use mineral. metal (kg Sb eq.); Resource use, fossils (MJ); Water use (m3eq.); Ecotoxicity (CTUe); Particulate matter (disease incidence) and the aggregated single score.

The preliminary results of the LCA show that the functional recycling of spent magnets through the REEPRODUCE value chain is a better alternative than the conventional scenario (non-functional recycling), as long as the flow of spent magnets extracted in the REEPRODUCE value chain is higher than 500 g/h.

Delving further into the social LCA, this analysis compares the REEPRODUCE recycling route for the supply of Nd-based permanent magnets to the European market on a social aspect. Therefore, this study is based on the impact of these routes on different stakeholders regarding health, safety, and stability issues.

The s-LCA is conducted at macro-level (state, region) because of lack of specific data regarding the conventional route. Quantitative data is insufficient, and there is a limited amount of qualitative information available about the specific processes related to mining at Bayan Obo, clay leaching and the downstream processes. In general, this study allows us to draw a generic conclusion regarding the social impacts of the REMA production, whether through the REEPRODUCE recycling route or the conventional scenario.

Based on this preliminary study, the REEPRODUCE solution clearly results in fewer social impacts compared to the conventional route. However, Europe shows higher risks in one specific impact indicator, i.e., access to material resources. Notably, China owns abundant natural resources, including 34% of the worldwide REE ore identified. Furthermore, in terms of the rights and freedom impacts indicators, the REEPRODUCE value chain systematically demonstrates better results compared to the conventional route.