Name that stuff

New Life for old scrap



Apparently the neodymium in those rare-earth magnets cant be simply remelted and cast into new magnets, according to this article there are stockpiles all over, of rare-earth magnet waste waiting for someone to figure out something to do with it. The metal is also used in magnesium casting, and accounts for a large % of the castings value. Two smart people figured out u can leach the neodymium from the iron in the magnet scrap directly into molten magnesium, giving what they say the casting industry already wants. So maybe if this process is picked up by companies and made viable, this stuff will have value not just as iron scrap...

Originally Posted by evolx10

New Life for old scrap

Apparently the neodymium in those rare-earth magnets cant be simply remelted and cast into new magnets, according to this article there are stockpiles all over, of rare-earth magnet waste waiting for someone to figure out something to do with it. The metal is also used in magnesium casting, and accounts for a large % of the castings value. Two smart people figured out u can leach the neodymium from the iron in the magnet scrap directly into molten magnesium, giving what they say the casting industry already wants. So maybe if this process is picked up by companies and made viable, this stuff will have value not just as iron scrap...

That article is 10 years old. The japanese already started working on a commercial refining process, because the chinese have cut them off, and it is working for them. They are recycling rare earths out of hybrid cars and hard drives.

In # 1 I'd say yes to some lead that someone has melted in a mold. Those 2 in the lower left looks to be Fuel oil filters from someone's old furnace. Probably steel pot with a cast alum. top part, maybe brass fittings. The wheel looks to be cast alum. If that is solder at the top; made sure it's not an acid core solder, that can be dangerous if not handled correctly. In # 3 I'd cut the conduit into 8' or 10' lengths with a sawzall and pull the wire out. Even the price of #2 insulated would be better than if it went with the conduit on.
In #4 I'd burn that pile unless it's outlawed in your area, best way to get that insulation off. This is just my 2 cents, and what do I know??? that's what I keep hearing,,,:confused: