Webinar

Rare Earth Magnet Analysis: The Role of XRF in Production and Recycling

Description

As the use of permanent magnet electric motors grows, so does the interest in analyzing rare earth element (REE) content in their magnets. Heavy REEs, added at concentrations of 1–8%, play a crucial role in boosting these magnets’ resistance to high temperatures.

Interest has grown following China’s Ministry of Commerce Announcement No. 18 in April 2025, restricting exports of several medium and heavy rare earth elements—such as Sm, Gd, Tb, Dy, Lu, Sc, and Y—followed by Announcement No. 57 in October 2025, which brought Ho, Er, Tm, Eu, and Yb under similar controls.

Traditionally, REE analysis relies on sample digestion and ICP‑based techniques. In contrast, X‑ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry offers faster workflows by eliminating digestion, reducing reagent consumption, and supporting high‑volume elemental analysis. And with a small and focused analysis spot, advanced XRF analyzers excel at examining small magnets—including those within partially assembled or partially disassembled electric motors—without the need for complex sample preparation.

As global magnet recycling rates remain low, demand for effective reprocessing is increasing. XRF technology helps meet this demand by enabling rapid and accurate material identification and elemental analysis.

In this webinar, you can explore real‑life cases where small‑spot ED‑XRF enables the analysis of compact, mounted, or partially disassembled magnets, demonstrating how modern solutions streamline magnet quality control and recycling workflows.

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