Cyclic Materials, a company specializing in the advanced recycling of rare earth elements and critical metals, has established a collaboration agreement with Synetiq, an IAA company and the leading integrated vehicle salvage and recycling company in the UK, to recycle electric motors that contain rare earth elements. This agreement, which is Cyclic Materials' first overseas feedstock contract, involves the supply of drive motors from hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as auxiliary motors from all types of vehicles, by Synetiq.
Co-founder and Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at Cyclic Materials Patrick Nee highlighted the agreement as a significant step toward expanding its business globally, particularly in Europe, emphasizing the mutual commitment to promoting circular solutions for electric motor recycling.
Cyclic Materials was founded in 2021 and has gained recognition for its development of innovative technologies that convert end-of-life products into valuable raw materials in an economically sustainable and domestic manner. The company's efforts in recycling rare earths, through its Kingston-based Hub100 commercial demonstration plant using its proprietary REEPure technology, aims to reduce the environmental impacts typically associated with mining by lowering carbon footprint and water usage. This aligns with the growing demand for domestic sources of mixed rare earth oxide (MREO) in North America.
Commercial Director of Synetiq Michael Hill expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, emphasizing its alignment with Synetiq's dedication to sustainability, innovation and responsible practices. Cyclic Materials' unique Mag-Cycle and REEPure technologies play a crucial role in this collaboration. These technologies enable the separation of magnets from end-of-life products, such as electric motors, and their conversion into mixed rare earth oxides, cobalt-nickel hydroxides and other raw materials.
The process begins with the reception of feedstock from Synetiq at Cyclic Materials' "spoke" facility for initial processing with Mag-Cycle, followed by further processing at the Hub100 plant using REEPure technology. This partnership not only advances recycling technologies but also provides an avenue for maximizing the value recovered from hybrid and electric vehicles, as well as smaller motors from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, through the salvage and dismantling services offered by companies such as Synetiq.
