Reshoring of rare earth permanent magnet manufacturing has been a key focus of the U.S. federal government over the past 5 years with incredible investments being made in full supply chain independence from mine to magnet.  The difficulties and expenses related to mining rare earth minerals from natural ore bodies such as Mountain Pass, CA have historically led to supply chain reliance on China, but new alternative rare earth mineral feedstocks are being explored in phosphate, coal and other industrial mining waste streams.  The rare earth metals captured from industrial waste offer excellent reshoring and supply chain resilience impacts to the U.S. economy, but call into question the ultimate performance and longevity of the final magnets once they are deployed as components in fully integrated systems such as mass-manufactured electric vehicles.  Assurance that these new magnets, having provenance not to earth deposits but instead industrial waste, can still meet market expectations will be needed if they are to survive long term as a true domestic feedstock. 

This panel will explore the challenges faced and measures needed to ensure U.S. rare earth permanent magnet supply chain independence through industrial waste stream feedstocks can capture all the economic and national security benefits offered by these alternative sustainable means of stockpiling and processing rare earth minerals.