Cyclic launches pilot plant

Cyclic Materials, Toronto, has started operations at its Kingston, Ontario, pilot plant, where its proprietary Mag-Xtract technology isolates magnets from recycled end-of-life products.

The plant is designed to process 1,000 kilograms per hour, or 8,000 metric tons per year, and initial runs have processed several tons of magnet feedstock per day, according to the company.

In 2022, Cyclic Materials completed an initial proof-of-concept of Mag-Xtract, processing 4,000 kilograms, or 8,800 pounds, of magnet-containing products, including copper, aluminum and steel, from end-of-life products.

In addition to developing Mag-Xtract, Cyclic Materials says it is scaling its proprietary hydrometallurgy technology to convert magnet feedstock and manufacturing waste into mixed rare earth oxide, cobalt-nickel hydroxide and other byproducts. Last fall, the company piloted its hydrometallurgy technology at a capacity of 10 metric tons per year and now is developing the first commercial demonstration plant for this technology in Kingston, Ontario, with a target launch date in the second quarter of next year.

“The launch of our pilot plant is a major step forward for developing a domestic, circular supply chain for critical materials at the scale needed to support the clean energy transition and technological innovation,” says Ahmad Ghahreman, co-founder and CEO of Cyclic Materials. “Our magnet-agnostic recycling technology produces one of the cleanest and highest quality mixed rare earth oxide products available on the global market—an environmentally sustainable, first-of-its-kind solution to the limited international supply of critical magnet materials.”

Cyclic Materials investors include BMW iVentures, Energy Impact Partners, Planetary Capital, Fifth Wall and Bio-industrial Innovation Canada, totaling over $30 million in funding. The company also has received a CA$3.6 million ($2.6 million) grant from Sustainable Technology Development Canada (SDTC).