US company Momentum Technologies recovers high-purity rare earth elements from recycled feedstocks

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Momentum Technologies has achieved record purity levels in recovering rare earth elements (REEs) using its proprietary Membrane Solvent Extraction (MSX) technology. The Texas-based critical materials company recovered 99.9 per cent pure neodymium-praseodymium oxide from e-waste and magnet production waste, 99.5 per cent pure dysprosium from magnet production waste, and 99.5 per cent pure yttrium from mined feedstock at its demonstration plant in Carrollton, Texas.

The MSX technology was developed in collaboration with the US Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It is designed to recover and separate high-purity rare earth elements and battery materials from both primary and secondary feedstocks.

High-purity rare earths are required for permanent magnets used in defence systems, robotics, electric vehicles and AI hardware. Materials such as neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium and terbium generally need purity levels above 99 per cent for commercial magnet production, as impurities can reduce magnetic performance.

Momentum Technologies said achieving these purity levels from recycled feedstocks has been a major technical challenge for the domestic recycling industry. The company added that its modular MSX system has demonstrated the ability to process both waste materials and mined feedstocks within the United States.

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Dr Simon Choong, Momentum’s Vice President of Product Development, said, “ Through our MSX platform, Momentum has now shown that we can do it in a small, modular system built in the US, using everything from secondary waste streams to primary mined materials.” He added, “These results, combined with our demonstration-plant processing experience across all of these feedstocks, are the foundation to move our commercial projects forward.” 

According to the USGS, the United States has an estimated 3.6 million tonnes of rare earth deposits, compared with more than 14 million tonnes in Canada. The US currently depends on imports for about 67 per cent of its rare earth requirements, with China, Malaysia, Estonia and Japan being its main suppliers. China also accounts for about 91 per cent of global rare earth refining capacity.

Momentum Technologies said its MSX process is modular and scalable and offers lower capital and operating costs than conventional pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes. The company plans to develop commercial-scale rare earth refining facilities with capacities ranging from 100 to 1,000 tonnes per year, targeting domestic demand from the defence, automotive, AI and medical sectors.