technology
a resource breakthrough
higher performance Nd-Fe-B magnets
with reduced environmental impact
and supply chain risk.
Urban Mining Company produces magnets with higher magnetic flux, higher coercivity, increased resistivity, and better thermal stability.
UMC's M2M® technology utilizes waste or recycled magnetic material to support its Nd-Fe-B magnet manufacturing process.
UMC's GBE® technology uses proprietary alloys to produce magnets with higher magnetic performance in terms of coercivity (iHc) and overall energy product (BHmax).
UMC's technology reduces the amount of heavy rare earth elements (HREE) required to achieve high magnetic performance - using 60% less heavy rare earths, such as dysprosium (Dy), compared to traditional manufacturers.
UMC's technology removes supply/price risk affecting end-users. UMC offers a supply chain solution that uses an alternative, abundant resource sourced domestically and promoting sustainability and a circular economy.
UMC's technological breakthrough allows for engineering Nd-Fe-B magnetic products while meeting the most important requirement – magnetic performance at high operating temperature – at a reduced cost.
Urban Mining Company sources Nd-Fe-B materials from end-of-life channels and industrial reverse-logistics networks including: motor assemblies, medical devices, data storage, direct-drive wind-turbine assemblies, and other equipment that contains Nd-Fe-B material. Any and all recovered materials or "mixed grades" can be used to support magnet production.
UMC's raw material is not dependent on traditional sources [China]. Our supply chain is decentralized - materials exist in global markets and are often procured through UMC's customer base directly.
UMC can create "closed-loop" solutions using its customers' own end-of-life waste containing Nd-Fe-B material. A customer's own waste streams - whether hard disk drives, electronics, motors, vehicles, and other equipment - could support or significantly offset the customer's own future Nd-Fe-B demand/consumption.
the potential of the ‘urban mine’ to support Nd-Fe-B magnet demand is massive
Currently, less than 1% of the world’s rare earth elements (REEs) are recovered or recycled. The potential sources of rare earth material for recycling are massive, mirroring demand/consumption itself. There is, of course, a lag in this material becoming available, until “end-of-life” is reached and material enters the ‘urban mine’. These material sources can be exploited and can support downstream use and/or production immediately; and material for future use accumulates as rapidly as current and future demand levels.
urban mining company offers a solution in support of a low-carbon, circular economy, fighting to secure our high-tech, sustainable future.
The first graph shows the estimated cumulative waste End-of-Life (EoL) feedstock of Nd-Fe-B material that is available, by sector (current level >600,000-tons of Nd-Fe-B material).
For example, a single automotive company has sold over 14 million HEV/PEV/BEV units in total to date, with each unit requiring 1.5 kg of Nd-Fe-B. Today, EoL Nd-Fe-B material available from this single source exceeds 3,000-tons. In ten years, cumulative Nd-Fe-B material available from this single source exceeds and additional 20,000-tons.
The EoL Nd-Fe-B material over the next 10-years from this single automotive source could supply current US military demand for the next 50-years. Similarly, recent independent estimates suggest that there will be 1,000–2,000-tons of Nd-Fe-B available per year from EoL hard disk drives derived from U.S. data centers alone. Additionally, UMC can create a closed-loop solutions using its customers’ own EoL waste containing Nd-Fe-B material. A customer’s own waste streams - whether hard disk drives, electronics, motors, vehicles, and other equipment - could support or significantly offset the customer’s own future Nd-Fe-B demand/consumption.
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San Marcos, TX 78666
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