Energy Fuels, Inc., a US-based producer of critical materials including rare earth elements (REEs), announced that its high-purity dysprosium (Dy) oxide has met initial purity and quality assurance benchmarks required by a major South Korean automotive manufacturer for use in rare earth permanent magnet (REPM) production.
Dysprosium oxide is a critical additive in neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets used in electric vehicle (EV) traction motors, where it improves high-temperature stability and magnetic performance. These magnets are widely used across EVs and hybrid vehicles, as well as in other automotive and industrial applications.
Dysprosium is also used in defense and aerospace systems, but its role in EV motor manufacturing has made it increasingly important to North American vehicle supply chains.
Energy Fuels’ Dy oxide was produced and qualified at pilot scale at the company’s White Mesa Mill in Utah. According to the company, the material achieved purities of approximately 99.9%, exceeding the 99.5% purity level typically required for automotive magnet applications. To date, approximately 29 kilograms of Dy oxide have been produced during pilot operations.
The announcement follows the company’s September 2025 update that its neodymium-praseodymium (NdPr) oxide had also been qualified for use in permanent magnet applications. Together, these qualifications represent progress toward establishing domestic sources of both light and heavy rare earth oxides used in EV motor magnets, an area where supply outside China remains limited.
In April 2025, China imposed export controls on several heavy rare earth elements, including dysprosium and terbium, highlighting supply risks for manufacturers reliant on imported materials. Domestic qualification and processing of these materials may help support North American EV motor and component manufacturing as automakers seek to reduce exposure to geopolitical and supply-chain constraints.
Energy Fuels also announced plans to begin pilot production of terbium (Tb) oxide at the White Mesa Mill, with kilogram-scale samples expected to be available for qualification in early 2026. Terbium is another key input for high-temperature permanent magnets used in EV motors and other high-performance applications. Additional pilot work is planned for gadolinium (Gd) and samarium (Sm) oxides, which are used in specialized magnet systems.
Based on ongoing pilot results, the company is proceeding with planning for commercial-scale production infrastructure at White Mesa. Proposed refining circuits would have the capacity to produce up to 48 metric tons of Dy oxide and 14 metric tons of Tb oxide annually, subject to feedstock availability, with potential startup as early as the fourth quarter of 2026.
Filed Under: Batteries, Electric Motor, Technology News