Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPMs)

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Why in News?

The Union Cabinet approved a ₹7,280 crore scheme to establish domestic capacity for manufacturing Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets (REPMs), a critical component for EVs, clean energy, defence, and electronics.

Description:

Brief on the New Scheme:
  • Outlay: ₹7,280 crore.
  • Target Capacity: 6,000 Metric Tons Per Annum integrated REPM manufacturing.
  • Incentives: Sales-linked incentives + capital subsidies.
  • Goal: Build end-to-end REPM value chain (oxide → metal → alloy → magnet).
About REPMs (Rare Earth Permanent Magnets):
  • REPMs are high-performance permanent magnets made using rare earth elements such as Neodymium, Praseodymium, Samarium, and Dysprosium.
  • They provide exceptionally high magnetic strength, thermal stability, and energy density, making them indispensable for advanced technologies.
What Are Sintered Rare Earth Permanent Magnets?

Sintered REPMs are magnets produced by the following process:

  1. Powdering: Rare-earth alloys are crushed into fine powders.
  2. Compaction: Powder is pressed in a magnetic field to align its magnetic domains.
  3. Sintering: Compacted powder is heated at very high temperatures (≈1100–1150°C) without melting, forming a dense and strong magnetic solid.
  4. Finishing: Magnet is machined, coated, and magnetised.

Why Sintering?

  • Produces the strongest commercially available magnets (e.g., NdFeB magnets).
  • Enhances durability, heat resistance, and magnetic performance.
Types of REPMs:
  1. NdFeB (Neodymium-Iron-Boron) – strongest known magnets; widely used in EV motors and electronics.
  2. SmCo (Samarium-Cobalt) – excellent high-temperature stability; used in defence and aerospace.

(The government scheme primarily targets NdFeB-type sintered REPMs.)

Applications of Sintered REPMs:
  • Electric Vehicles: traction motors, power steering, regenerative braking.
  • Renewable Energy: wind turbine generators.
  • Electronics: smartphones, laptops, speakers, hard drives.
  • Aerospace & Defence: missile guidance, radar systems, precision actuators.
  • Industrial Robotics: high-torque compact motors.
Why REPMs Matter for India:
  • India currently imports over 90% of REPMs, mainly from China.
  • REPMs are essential for EV transition, clean energy targets, electronics manufacturing, and national security.
  • Domestic REPM capacity strengthens strategic autonomy in critical minerals and advanced manufacturing.

NOTE: The ‘Lithium Triangle’ region, covering parts of Argentina, Bolivia and Chile, hosts about 50 per cent of known global lithium resources in salty brines found in salt flats, or salars.

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