This huge US e-waste deal could unlock rare earths for EVs

Two recycling companies, ERI and Cyclic Materials, have teamed up to pull rare earth minerals and other valuable metals out of old electronics on a large scale. ERI, based in Fresno, California, will collect and sort e-waste through its eight US recycling centers, using software that can identify which products contain rare earth magnets. Those materials will then go to Cyclic Materials' plant in Mesa, Arizona, which can process up to 25,000 metric tonnes of end-of-life components a year and recover rare earths along with copper and aluminum.

Rare earth magnets are used in electric motors for EVs and in wind turbines, and demand for them is also rising because of AI and other advanced manufacturing. Right now the US relies heavily on imported rare earths, and recycling old electronics is seen as a faster way to build a domestic supply than opening new mines. This partnership aims to turn discarded electronics, most of which currently get thrown away without recovering these materials, into a steady source of minerals for US manufacturers.

For homeowners, this isn't a program to sign up for or a rebate to claim. It's a supply-chain deal that could, over time, help ease the shortage of rare earth materials used in EVs and clean energy equipment. The companies haven't said which specific products they'll target yet or given a timeline for when recycled materials will start reaching manufacturers, so any effect on EV prices or availability would show up later, not immediately.