Cyclic Materials proudly opened its rare earth magnet recycling plant in the city of Mesa, Arizona. The ceremony, held on September 9, was attended by government officials, industry representatives, and investors. The goal of this facility is to increase domestic processing capacity and reduce the United States' dependence on foreign sources for critical minerals.
The Largest Rare Earth Magnet Recycling Plant
This plant, covering an area of over 144,000 square feet, has the capacity to process up to 25,000 tons of end-of-life products annually and is recognized as the largest rare earth magnet recycling center of its kind. The company's proprietary MagCycle technology, which mechanically separates magnets from end-of-life products, is utilized at this facility.
This facility also recovers other critical materials such as copper, aluminum, and steel. The commercial operations of this plant have already begun, and Cyclic Materials has announced that it processes materials at a rate of eight tons per hour and sells the recovered products to smelting furnaces in the United States. Currently, over 7,000 tons of materials have been delivered to this site in Mesa, with larger volumes being supplied through the company's supply chain.
Impacts on National Security and Economy
The opening of this plant comes at a time when Washington is increasingly viewing recycling as a key component in rebuilding the rare earth supply chain. Rare earth magnets play a vital role in various industries, including automotive, electronics, robotics, energy, and defense. Global demand for these materials is expected to triple by 2035.
Ahmad Qahraman, the founder and CEO of Cyclic Materials, stated that the idea for establishing this plant began with a simple experiment in his garage. He recalled at the opening ceremony how an old laptop became the starting point for the development of the MagCycle technology. With this opening, Cyclic Materials demonstrates that recycling can be a fast track to meeting domestic needs.
