The market insights.

It is crucial to separate materials based on their purity rather than just the element itself because the purity level directly impacts the material’s performance and suitability for specific applications. Higher purity materials, such as samarium at 99.999%, have unique properties that are essential for advanced technologies like aerospace, medical devices, and scientific instruments. In contrast, lower-purity materials (e.g., 95%) are suitable for less demanding applications, like industrial catalysts or general-purpose magnets.

The refining process removes impurities that can interfere with the material’s functionality, ensuring that the final product meets the strict specifications required for high-tech industries. Additionally, purer materials often command higher market prices and are in demand for cutting-edge technologies, whereas lower-purity materials are more cost-effective for broader, less precise uses.

Thus, separating materials based on their purity ensures that they are used in the right contexts, maximizing both performance and cost-efficiency.

Samarium (Sm), particularly at higher purity levels, is increasingly being used in advanced technologies, while its traditional applications in ceramics, alloys, and precious stones are declining. Historically, samarium was widely used in ceramic materials, low-grade alloys, and for its role in jewelry as a component in certain precious stones. However, as industries demand more specialized materials for high-performance applications, the focus has shifted to higher-purity samarium forms.

The high-purity samarium market is growing faster than the base purity market because it is crucial for cutting-edge applications in fields like aerospace, medical imaging, quantum computing, and clean energy technologies. High-purity samarium is vital for the production of high-performance magnets (like samarium-cobalt magnets), which are essential for electric vehicles, wind turbines, and high-efficiency motors. These advanced technologies require the high magnetic strength and stability provided by pure samarium.

In contrast, base-purity samarium is still used in more common applications such as industrial catalysts and low-performance magnets, where the purity requirements are less stringent. While these markets are stable, they have lower growth potential compared to the high-tech sectors driving demand for ultra-pure materials. Therefore, the high-purity market sees a higher growth rate due to its critical role in emerging, high-demand technologies.

While research on samarium specifically for artificial precious stones is relatively limited compared to other elements, samarium is being investigated for its ability to enhance the properties of crystals and materials that may be used in high-tech and decorative applications. These include synthetic gemstones or advanced materials with optical and magnetic properties, making samarium a potentially valuable component in specialized products, though not in traditional gemstone markets.

Samarium-doped garnets are a promising material with a range of advanced applications due to their enhanced optical and magnetic properties. Their potential uses span industries like laser technology, optoelectronics, and magnetic materials, marking them as valuable in high-tech fields. While not traditionally associated with gemstones, these materials show promise in niche markets and emerging technologies.

Samarium-containing alloys, especially Samarium-Cobalt (SmCo) magnets, dominate the market due to their significant role in high-performance magnets for industries such as aerospace, electric vehicles, and medical imaging. Other alloys like Sm-Fe and Samarium-Aluminum are also important for energy-efficient motors and aerospace components. The market is growing due to demand for advanced, high-efficiency technologies and the transition to clean energy.

Recycling and Refining

Metals in spent SmCo magnets have been recovered by a combined dissolution and stripping process. By tuning the fraction of [P666,14][Cl3] in [P666,14]Cl and the solid-to-liquid ratio, an optimized process was designed where the oxidizing agent was effectively consumed and the amount of solid residues minimized. Moreover, an elevated temperature for dissolution largely enhanced the dissolution rate of the magnet. Several stripping steps with NaCl, water and ammonia solutions were applied to subsequently recover the metals, respectively samarium, cobalt, copper and iron in different streams. Meanwhile, the IL can be regenerated and reused for next cycles. The designed conceptual process consists only of a dissolution step and a sequence of stripping steps, and is therefore a form of process intensification in comparison with the traditional approach, where also solvent extraction is required. The process developed in this work is easily transferable to the recycling of valuable metals from other end-of-life products.

Deep purification practice

High purity samarium and ytterbium can be obtained by direct vacuum reduction-distillation, and the amount of 4 gaseous impurities is 45.06 and 51.05 μg/g, respectively. The purity of above rare earth metals is 99.99 wt% and 99.993 wt%, respectively with respect to 75 impurities.