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Recent reports that China has begun issuing “general” export licenses for heavy rare earth (HREE) materials have been widely interpreted as a sign that the rare earth magnet market may soon normalize. While these developments are directionally positive, they should not be mistaken for a near-term solution to the backlog of blocked shipments, delayed orders,…
The permanent magnet industry is approaching a major regulatory shift, one that has been quietly building for years but may still be flying under the radar for many OEMs, engineers, and supply-chain teams. While the headlines have focused on the Trump Administration’s 2025 “Executive Tariffs,” another set of tariffs, the long-planned Section 301 increases, will…
The global market for samarium cobalt (SmCo) magnets is under exceptional pressure. A convergence of export controls, raw material restrictions, and cost volatility is reshaping how these high-performance magnets are sourced and priced. This update summarizes the current conditions influencing availability, outlines the outlook for the next year, and explains how Dura Magnetics is managing…
The global market for samarium cobalt (SmCo) magnets is under exceptional pressure. A convergence of export controls, raw material restrictions, and cost volatility is reshaping how these high-performance magnets are sourced and priced. This update summarizes the current conditions influencing availability, outlines the outlook for the next year, and explains how Dura Magnetics is managing…
Background: The First Wave of Controls In April 2025, MOFCOM and the General Administration of Customs issued Announcement No. 18, placing export-license requirements on seven medium- and heavy-rare-earth elements: Samarium, Gadolinium, Terbium, Dysprosium, Lutetium, Scandium, and Yttrium, along with alloys, oxides, and magnets that contain them. While this was not a full export ban, the…
The rare earth magnet market is under extraordinary pressure, and the cause is not just tariffs. On April 4, 2025, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) issued new export restrictions (Announcement No. 18), requiring licenses for several key rare earth elements including samarium, dysprosium, terbium, and neodymium. While these are not outright bans, the licensing system…
Why did rare earth magnet prices increase in 2021 and 2022? A variety of factors can affect rare earth magnet production costs causing price fluctuations. A combination of factors, including China’s climate-related policies, surging energy demands, and the COVID-19 pandemic, has created volatility in the production costs of rare earth magnets. The past several years…
In December 2021, automaker General Motors announced “strategic collaborations” that will support its move toward domestic sourcing of the rare earth magnet materials necessary for production in its upcoming fleet of electric vehicles. The announcement is another in a growing number of strategic moves by U.S. companies and the federal government to attempt to compete…
Dura Magnetics is taking a lead in sustainability At Dura Magnetics, our advanced manufacturing processes design and fabricate a variety of magnetic solutions, including a wide array of custom magnetic assemblies incorporating Neodymium, Samarium Cobalt, Alnico, and Ceramic magnet materials. By their very nature, many of these processes are highly energy dependent. Echoing an October…
After identifying the material best suited for your magnet or magnetic assembly, the next step is to determine the specific grade of material needed for your application. For Neodymium, Samarium Cobalt, and Ceramic materials, the grade is an indicator of magnet strength: the higher the material grade number, the stronger that magnet. Alnico is a…