Recycled Rare Earths Metals Now Ready For Use – Honda

Japanese automaker Honda Motor Co., Ltd. announced on Wednesday it is now ready to deploy recycled rare earths metals in a wide range of auto parts before the current year ends. This pronouncement came two months after it said it has developed a technological approach that would recycle at least 80 per cent of used rare earths metals in hybrid car batteries.

In a statement, the automaker said it targets to use the recycled rare earths in its products in September or October this year.

Honda Motor Co., Ltd., which has long been committed to the 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle) approach, in April stressed recycling the rare earths components of its products was also necessary to aid its business in light of the rare earths exports curb of China, the world's stronghold of the precious metals which had imposed the regulations since 2009.

Although the 17 rare earths are not exactly rare at all, mining them is difficult, which eventually earned the moniker that it is rare. China in fact only holds 23 per cent of the world's total rare earths reserves, yet supplies more than 95 per cent of the world's demand.

But the world will see this change in the next few years with the opening of non-Chinese rare earths mines, such as that by U.S.' Molycorp Inc. and Australia's Lynas Corp.

A first for the entire global auto industry, Honda Motor Co., Ltd. said it will pursue the recycling of precious resources by reusing extracted rare earth metals not only for nickel-metal hydride batteries, but also for use in a wide range of parts.

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. partnered with Tokyo-based metal maker Japan Metals & Chemicals Co., Ltd. in April to undertake the world's first reprocessing attempt to extract rare earth metals from various used parts in Honda products.

The Japanese automaker, which saw a 61 per cent jump in its profit from January to March this year, forecasts global sales to hit 4.3 million vehicles for this fiscal year.

Hybrid and electric cars utilize rare earth metals for high powered motors and batteries, among others.