Quick Takeaways
- UK rare earth magnet manufacturing takes a major step forward with Mkango Resources strengthening domestic supply capability.
- The new Birmingham facility reinforces the UK’s push for secure, sustainable critical mineral value chains.
On January 15, Mkango Resources Ltd. of Canada inaugurated a rare earth magnet recycling and production plant at Tyseley Energy Park in Birmingham, United Kingdom. The site has been developed by the Magnetic Materials Group at the University of Birmingham and constructed in partnership with HyProMag Limited, which operates the facility using its patented Hydrogen Processing of Magnet Scrap technology.
UK Rare Earth Magnet Manufacturing and Strategic Supply Goals
This development represents the United Kingdom’s first commercial-scale production of rare earth magnets in more than two decades. The facility aligns closely with the UK Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy, which targets sourcing 10% of critical minerals domestically and 20% through recycling by 2035, strengthening national supply resilience.
Advanced Recycling Technology at the Birmingham Plant
The Birmingham site is currently the only commercial-scale rare earth sintered magnet manufacturing facility operating in the UK. By applying Hydrogen Processing of Magnet Scrap technology, the plant converts end-of-life and manufacturing scrap magnets directly into NdFeB alloy powder and then into new high-performance magnets.
Key operational capabilities include:
Importance of Rare Earth Magnets for Clean Technologies
Rare earth magnets play a critical role in modern technologies, particularly in electric vehicle traction motors, wind turbine generators, and widely used electronic products such as smartphones, hard disk drives, and audio equipment. Expanding local manufacturing capacity supports both industrial competitiveness and clean energy transitions.
Public Funding and Programme Support
The project has received GBP 4.5 million in funding from Innovate UK. Additional backing has been provided through the Driving the Electric Industrialisation Centres programme, Innovate Climate initiatives, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Advanced Propulsion Centre, and European Union Horizon grant programmes, underlining strong institutional support for advanced materials manufacturing in the UK.
UK Rare Earth Magnet Manufacturing and Strategic Supply Goals
This development represents the United Kingdom’s first commercial-scale production of rare earth magnets in more than two decades. The facility aligns closely with the UK Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy, which targets sourcing 10% of critical minerals domestically and 20% through recycling by 2035, strengthening national supply resilience.
Advanced Recycling Technology at the Birmingham Plant
The Birmingham site is currently the only commercial-scale rare earth sintered magnet manufacturing facility operating in the UK. By applying Hydrogen Processing of Magnet Scrap technology, the plant converts end-of-life and manufacturing scrap magnets directly into NdFeB alloy powder and then into new high-performance magnets.
Key operational capabilities include:
- Recovery of more than 400 kilograms of magnet material per processing batch
- Annual output of up to 100 tonnes of magnets on a single-shift basis
- Potential capacity exceeding 300 tonnes per year when operated across multiple shifts
Importance of Rare Earth Magnets for Clean Technologies
Rare earth magnets play a critical role in modern technologies, particularly in electric vehicle traction motors, wind turbine generators, and widely used electronic products such as smartphones, hard disk drives, and audio equipment. Expanding local manufacturing capacity supports both industrial competitiveness and clean energy transitions.
Public Funding and Programme Support
The project has received GBP 4.5 million in funding from Innovate UK. Additional backing has been provided through the Driving the Electric Industrialisation Centres programme, Innovate Climate initiatives, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Advanced Propulsion Centre, and European Union Horizon grant programmes, underlining strong institutional support for advanced materials manufacturing in the UK.
Company Press Release
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