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.