Nov. 03, 2025, Nov. 03, 2025 –
By Rebecca Pool, EETimes Europe
As China maintains its grip on rare Earth production, Europe is turning to recycling to help secure its own supply. The EU-funded HARMONY project is leading efforts to recover and reuse neodymium magnets, but will cost hinder progress?
It’s no secret that right now, China holds a near-monopoly over the global rare Earth supply chain. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the nation is home to about 44 million metric tons of rare Earths—nearly half of global known reserves. In 2024, the country produced almost 70% of all rare Earths, with the rest coming mostly from the U.S. and Myanmar.
For Europe, this spells bad news. Rare Earth metals are critical to myriad modern technologies, with permanent neodymium magnets being widely used in electronics, wind turbine generators, and hybrid-vehicle motors. These technologies are all manufactured in Europe, and product demand is rising.