Abstract
Critical raw materials (CRMs) include cobalt (Co) and rare earth elements (REEs) that serve as essential elements in many modern, rapidly evolving clean energy technologies, from wind turbines and electrical networks to electric automobiles. As clean energy transitions accelerate, consumption of these minerals will rise significantly. The rapid demand for CRMs in technology raises serious concerns regarding supply availability and consistency. Rare earth elements (REEs) are the key elements of permanent magnets that are employed in wind turbines and e-vehicles. The demand for these CRMs is expected to increase as the use of permanent magnets in various applications continues to grow. Hence, there is a need for sustainable and responsible sourcing of these materials to ensure their availability in the long run. This chapter highlights the energy-critical metals used in permanent magnets, particularly focusing on neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets for clean energy production. Moreover, the assessment of their economic importance and environmental challenges is also discussed in detail. Finally, mitigation approaches to environmental footprints such as recycling and reusing secondary resources, sustainable processing, and substitution techniques during the manufacturing of magnets are also discussed.
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Cheema, H.A., Farhan, M., Kim, H. (2023). Assessment and Mitigation of Environmental Footprints for Energy-Critical Metals Used in Permanent Magnets. In: Pathak, P., Srivastava, R.R., Ilyas, S. (eds) Anthropogenic Environmental Hazards. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-41013-0_2
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