Last 5th September 2024, the NEO-CYCLE project, titled “Upcycling of NdFeB magnets in the EU for green applications,” launched with its inaugural meeting. This initiative, supported by the Horizon Europe program under the “HORIZON-CL4-2023-TWIN-TRANSITION-01” topic, culminated in a Kick-off meeting in Sevilla, Spain, organized by the project coordinator, IDENER.AI.

NEO-CYCLE is a substantial undertaking, spanning 48 months with a budget of 11 million euros approx. Its primary objective is to showcase, at TRL6 level, the viable upcycling of NdFeB magnets recovered from hard disk drives (HDDs). The project aims to produce high-grade materials for four key industries: pharmaceutical, ammonia, fertilizers, and polymers. Additionally, it seeks to facilitate market adoption by engaging all pertinent stakeholders in the value chain.

The kick-off event brought together representatives from the 23 consortium partners. Following IDENER’s introduction, each partner outlined their capabilities and role within the project. Subsequent discussions focused on aligning work packages and planning upcoming steps. Critical project components include demonstrating innovative processes such as solid-state chlorination, electrochemical treatments, and purification techniques. Other key aspects involve upcycling strategies for Nd, Fe, and B, product validation, digital integration of processes and products, sustainability evaluations, and developing market entry strategies.

With enthusiasm and determination, the consortium has begun tackling initial project tasks, including creating a website and establishing a social media presence to share updates on activities and outcomes.

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María González-Moya Jiménez & Macarena García Ayala – Coordination of the project and the event

Ana Lara Quijano, Augusto Márquez Maqueda & Juan José Cantero Sánchez – Technical team from IDENER involved in NEO-CYCLE tasks