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Choosing the right magnetic material for a given application is a critical part of magnet selection. Occasionally, we will receive an inquiry specifying the need for a “rare earth magnet,” without the inquirer realizing that this is a general term that can refer to either samarium cobalt or neodymium magnets. Our goal with this article is to help our existing and potential customers better understand the use, history, and application of rare earth magnets, including why one specific rare earth alloy may be specified over another.
There are seventeen rare earth elements. Fifteen of these elements are lanthanides, which refers to the metallic elements with atomic numbers between 57 and 71. The other two elements are transition metals — yttrium and scandium — which are found with lanthanides and are chemically similar. Rare earth elements are commonly categorized as either “light” (lanthanum through samarium) or “heavy” (europium through lutetium). This light or heavy categorization refers to their atomic weights.
Rare earth elements are typically found together in the same mineral deposits, and the deposits are quite plentiful. With the exception of promethium, none of the rare earth elements are especially “rare.”
Samarium (Sm) and neodymium (Nd) are the two most common rare earth elements utilized in magnetic applications. They are light rare earth elements (LREE) in the cerium earths group.
Samarium cobalt and neodymium alloy magnets provide some of the highest force-to-weight ratios, making them especially useful for industrial and commercial applications. However, samarium cobalt magnets and neodymium rare earth magnets are neither prohibitively expensive nor in short supply. Because of this, their designation as “rare earth” magnets should not be a primary reason to either select or discount these magnets from industrial or commercial applications.
The designation of magnets as “rare earth” also allows for a general categorization of both SmCo magnets and Neo magnets together when mentioned alongside traditional alnico magnets or ferrite magnets. Potential utilization of either of these magnets should be calculated according to intended usages and application variables like heat tolerances.
Rare earth elements were given their “rare” moniker for two disparate, yet significant reasons. The first naming derivation is due to the initial perceived scarcity of all seventeen rare earth elements. The second stems from the difficult extraction process of separating each rare earth element from its mineral ore.
Currently, China meets approximately 95% of total global demand for rare earths —mining and refining around 100,000 metric tons of rare earths a year. The United States, Afghanistan, Australia, and Japan also have significant rare earth reserves.
The second explanation for rare earth elements being designated “rare” was due to difficulty in both the mining and refining processes, which were typically performed utilizing crystallization methods. The term rare can be historically synonymous with “difficult.” Because mining and refining have been throughout history arduous processes, some experts suggest the term “rare earth” was applied to these seventeen elements as a result.
Rare earth magnets are utilized across an incredibly diverse range of industries and applications. They’re useful in medical applications such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines, as well as X-Rays and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging. You’ll find rare earth magnets utilized in aviation, national defense, electronic devices, smartphones, consumer goods, jewelry, hard drives, and electric vehicles (EVs), to name several applications.
If your project or application requires rare earth magnets — or you’re unsure — contact one of Dura’s magnet specialists. We’ll help you determine if rare earth magnets are the best choice for your application.
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According to The New York Times, recent tariffs imposed on imported goods from China are meant to pressure the country to change its current trade practices that are negatively impacting American businesses. However, as the deadline approached for the final agreement in late September 2018, the US administration decided to remove nearly 300 product lines from the list due to specific objections by American companies. One of the product lines deleted from the list of tariffs was rare earth metals. Rare earth elements are currently used in myriad products worldwide including magnets, radar, high tech products, vehicles, and more....
Many times, we are asked about the effects of thermal cycling on rare earth permanent magnets, but there is not a simple rule of thumb to offer. From a first order standpoint, thermal cycling will degrade the performance of rare earth Neodymium Iron Boron and Samarium Cobalt magnets. There are two primary mechanisms which drive this degradation. One occurs quickly, and the second occurs over a long period of time...