Magnetics Business & Technology - Summer 2011 - (Page 24)

INDUSTRY NEWS Comprehensive Rare Earth Legislation Introduced: try the tools necessary to provide a reliable strategic reserve of Prioritizes Development of a Complete and Secure neo alloys and magnets on an accelerated timeline. USMMA is urging Members of Congress who recognize this Supply-Chain impending crisis and understand the need for passage of REThe US Magnet Materials Association (USMMA), a coalition of companies representing domestic high performance magnet producers and suppliers, are applauding Colorado Congressman Mike Coffman for introducing legislation to address the impending rare earths crisis. Coffman’s Rare Earth Supply-Chain Technology and Resource Transformation (RESTART) Act of 2011, H.R. 1388, is a comprehensive bill that addresses all aspects of the nation’s significant rare earths challenges, including resource development and downstream manufacturing for metal, alloys and magnets. This critical legislation also provides for the Department of Defense’s notable neodymium magnet needs, establishes key oversight and government responsibilities, and fosters necessary research and development, balancing it with the need for a diverse, reliable and competitive supply chain. Of particular importance, the RESTART Act recognizes that the US supply chain for critical renewable energy and defense systems is nearly non-existent, leaving our nation vulnerable to potentially unreliable foreign nations, such as China. Thus, the bill reconfigures the Defense National Stockpile into an interactive strategic reserve to meet national security needs for neodymium magnets and potentially other rare earths products, breaking China's current stranglehold on the supply chain by giving indus- START to communicate their support to the chairmen and ranking members of the House Armed Services, Science and Technology and Natural Resources Committees. Today, the US is totally dependent on foreign sources for many rare earth materials. These elements are essential to numerous renewable energy and defense systems including wind turbines, hybrid-electric batteries, computer hard drives and precision-guided munitions. Currently, China provides more than 97 percent of the world’s rare earth raw materials and dominates the world’s rare earth refining, alloying and manufacturing. Since its founding in 2006, USMMA has worked to support the needs of the domestic high performance magnet industry, including work to reestablish competitive domestic rare earths mineral production, processing, refining, purification and metals production industries to support the growth of green job technology and manufacturing as well as the nation’s defense industry. USMMA members have already successfully advocated for inclusion of a congressionally mandated study of the rare earth supply-chain in the FY10 National Defense Authorization Act. More information on the USMMA can be found at http://www. usmagnetmaterials.com. Molycorp and DOE's Ames Laboratory Sign R&D Agreement on Rare Earth Magnets Magnetic Instrumentation Inc./KJS Associates has earned its reputation as the leader in magnetizing, magnetic testing and engineered solutions since 1978 by focusing on our customer’s individual needs. Our list of satisfied customers reflects our commitment to accuracy, reliability, and durability. We can meet your needs with our standard magnetic product line, the most extensive in the industry, or we can design a solution for your specific application. Our KJS Magnetics Test Division offers magnetic testing equipment for Hard and Soft Magnetic Materials and as an independent test laboratory we can provide testing services for accurate B/H magnetization curves measured on any type of permanent magnet material within a wide temperature range as well as testing of magnetically soft materials. Magnetic Instrumentation Inc. 8431 Castlewood Drive Indianapolis, IN 46250 Tel: 317-842-7500 • Fax: 317-849-7600 Web site: www.maginst.com Molycorp, Inc., the Western hemisphere’s only producer of rare earth oxides, has entered into a cooperative research and development agreement with the US Department of Energy’s Ames Laboratory. The Molycorp-Ames effort will focus on developing new methods to create commercial-grade rare earth permanent magnets. The collaboration combines Ames Laboratory’s 60+ years of experience in the critical materials science field with Molycorp’s 58+ years of experience in developing and commercializing innovative rare earth processing technologies. "We are looking forward to a highly successful partnership between Molycorp and the Ames Laboratory that will incorporate new techniques, processes, and materials into US supply chains," said Debra Covey, Ames Laboratory associate laboratory director for Sponsored Research Administration. “This is a significant first step toward a long and mutually beneficial relationship between these two committed entities," said Karl Gschneidner Jr., who will lead the research efforts at Ames Laboratory. "The Ames-Molycorp partnership will serve to reenergize applied rare earth research in the US, and will begin to ameliorate the current void in intellectual infrastructure in rare earths by training undergraduates, graduate, and post-doctoral students and providing them with research opportunities.” Ames Laboratory scientists will investigate several compositions of rare earth materials and processing techniques with the goal of making permanent rare earth magnets with properwww.MagneticsMagazine.com 24 Magnetics Business & Technology • Summer 2011 http://www.usmagnetmaterials.com http://www.usmagnetmaterials.com http://www.maginst.com http://www.maginst.com http://www.MagneticsMagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Magnetics Business & Technology - Summer 2011

Magnetics Business & Technology - Summer 2011
Editor’s Choice
Designing Permanent Magnet Systems for Critical Applications
Growth in the Sensor Market Led by Magnetically Actuated Reed and Hall Sensors
Extending the Possibilities of Iron
Research & Development
Magnets • Materials • Measurement
Application • Component Developments
Guest Column: Cue-less About Q of an Inductor?
Industry News
Marketplace
Calendar of Events
Advertising Index
Spontaneous Thoughts: Sputnik Moments

Magnetics Business & Technology - Summer 2011