This post was originally published on this site.Hertha Metals said Tuesday it has achieved iron production at 99.95% (3N5) purity, meeting the specifications required by top rare earth magnet manufacturers at its demonstration-scale steelmaking facility in Conroe, Texas.  The Houston- based startup is aiming to fill a critical gap in the US rare earth magnet supply chain as new domestic sourcing requirements approach and policymakers seek to reduce reliance on China for strategic materials.  The news comes as defense manufacturers face a January 1, 2027 deadline to reduce reliance on Chinese-origin magnets and critical materials, while US industry races to qualify domestic alternatives.  This production, Hertha said, makes it the first US company to reach this specification with fully...

This post was originally published on this site.Niron Magnetics announced Tuesday it has received a $150 million loan from the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community (SMSC) to advance construction of its magnet manufacturing plant in Sartell, Minnesota.    The company is working towards commercializing what it said will be the world’s first rare-earth-free iron nitride permanent magnets.  The funding, it said, will support equipment and operational readiness activities at Niron’s Sartell plant, advancing domestic production of rare-earth-free permanent magnets.  SMSC became one of Niron’s earliest investors in 2016 to advance iron nitride from university research towards a scalable manufacturing pathway. The Community later participated in Niron’s 2023 financing syndicate, supporting the development of end-to-end manufacturing capabilities in Minneapolis and customer qualification programs across industries.  “This...