Toyota teams up with Japanese Ministry of Economy to develop rare earth recycling

The Nikkei, a stock market index for the Tokyo Stock Exchange, reports that Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry is teaming up with Toyota and other major Japanese manufacturers to develop technology for recovering and recycling rare-earth metals.

This technology could eventually allow Japan to reduce its rare earth imports by at least 10% by 2025. Currently, Japan relies on China for approximately 80% of its rare earth elements. Those elements are commonly used in motors found in electric vehicles and the nickel-metal hydride batteries used in many hybrids. By recovering and recycling rare earths, Japan hopes to slash that 80% figure.

For the past few years, Toyota, Honda and Ford, among others, have been developing strategies to mitigate reliance on rare earth elements. Those strategies include stockpiling and using induction motors. Tesla does not use rare earth metals in the Model S’s battery or motor. The upcoming Toyota RAV4 EV, produced by Tesla and Toyota, also uses a rare-earth-free induction motor.

Recycling is an additional strategy. “Under the initiative, automakers and home-appliance manufacturers will tap government subsidies to establish a technology for recovering rare-earth metals from discarded motors and electronics,” according to the Nikkei report. “The ministry will earmark the necessary expenses in its fiscal 2013 budget request. The goal is to have the technology adopted in fiscal 2014. The manufacturers hope to have recycled rare earths account for around 10 percent of national demand by fiscal 2025.”

(Source: Eco Business)