Electric mobility
Permanent-magnet motors can deliver high power density in compact drivetrains.
Examples
- Electric-vehicle traction motors
- Electric power steering
- Compact high-efficiency motors
Explore by technology
Choose a technology. See which rare earths do what.
Most technologies use several materials for different jobs. Explore those roles, open any element profile, then return to the results Magnes has reported.
Industry examples · Magnes has not defined a productStart with a technology
See the role each element plays.
Select a field to see typical uses, then open any element for its properties and Minas Americas reporting context.
16 technology families shown.
Wind power and generators
Permanent magnets are used in certain generator architectures to reduce size and maintenance requirements.
Examples
- Direct-drive wind turbines
- Compact generators
- High-efficiency rotating equipment
Rare-earth roles
Robotics and automation
Compact magnets, sensors and actuators support precise movement and control.
Examples
- Industrial robots
- Servo motors
- Precision sensors and actuators
Rare-earth roles
Electronics, audio and data
Small permanent magnets translate electrical signals into motion and sound and support compact data systems.
Examples
- Speakers and headphones
- Haptic devices
- Hard-disk drives
Rare-earth roles
Fibre optics and telecoms
Rare-earth-doped fibre can amplify and manage light signals over long distances.
Examples
- Subsea communications cables
- Long-distance data networks
- Optical amplifiers
Rare-earth roles
Displays and lighting
Phosphors convert energy into precise colours for screens, lamps and optical systems.
Examples
- Display phosphors
- Efficient lighting
- Colour-conversion materials
Rare-earth roles
Security and authentication
Distinct luminescent signatures can help authenticate documents, products and materials.
Examples
- Banknote marking
- Product authentication
- Specialised optical tracers
Rare-earth roles
Semiconductors and precision polishing
High-purity polishing compounds help create the extremely flat surfaces required in advanced manufacturing.
Examples
- Semiconductor wafers
- Precision optical glass
- Electronic displays
Rare-earth roles
Optics and technical glass
Rare-earth compounds can tune refractive index, colour, UV response and laser behaviour.
Examples
- Camera lenses
- Scientific optics
- Specialised glass and ceramics
Rare-earth roles
Medical imaging and therapy
Regulated compounds, crystals, lasers and produced isotopes support diagnosis and targeted treatment.
Examples
- MRI contrast compounds
- PET scanners
- Specialised laser procedures and radioisotope therapies
Rare-earth roles
Lasers and precision measurement
Different rare-earth ions produce distinct wavelengths for cutting, communications, medicine and metrology.
Examples
- Industrial cutting and welding
- Medical lasers
- Atomic clocks and scientific instruments
Rare-earth roles
Aerospace and high-temperature systems
Specialised alloys and magnets are selected where mass, stability and temperature performance matter.
Examples
- Lightweight aluminium alloys
- High-temperature motors and sensors
- Aircraft engine materials
Rare-earth roles
Catalysis and emissions control
Rare-earth oxides help manage chemical reactions in vehicles, refineries and specialised industrial processes.
Examples
- Automotive catalysts
- Petroleum refining
- Specialised chemical catalysts
Rare-earth roles
Nuclear science and neutron management
Selected isotopes and compounds absorb, detect or respond to neutrons and radiation.
Examples
- Neutron detectors
- Control and shielding materials
- Specialised scientific sources
Rare-earth roles
Hydrogen, fuel cells and batteries
Selected rare-earth materials store hydrogen or support ion transport in energy systems.
Examples
- Nickel-metal hydride batteries
- Solid-oxide fuel cells
- Hydrogen-storage alloys
Rare-earth roles
Advanced materials and research
Rare-earth properties support research into stronger alloys, cooling, sensing, radiation response and quantum measurement.
Examples
- Magnetocaloric research
- Specialty alloys
- Scientific sensors and standards
Rare-earth roles
Actual designs vary.
The examples describe established industry uses. Designs, material formulations, quantities and possible substitutes vary by manufacturer, product generation and operating conditions. Medical and nuclear examples may involve regulated compounds or produced isotopes rather than mined elemental material.
Research & insights
What does a tiny robot reveal about rare-earth demand?
Follow a transparent, conditional model from 15 actuator packages to a four-gram central case—and then test what grams per robot could mean at fleet scale.
Read the Microduck analysisSources
Where the element and application information comes from.
Applications are representative rather than exhaustive. They describe industry uses of rare-earth materials, compounds or produced isotopes; they do not describe a product currently made by Magnes or establish that an element will be commercially recovered from Minas Americas.
- U.S. Geological Survey · Selected applications by element
- USGS · 2026 Rare Earths Mineral Commodity Summary
- USGS · 2026 Heavy Rare Earths summary · Scandium · Yttrium
- U.S. Department of Energy · Critical materials and applications
- International Energy Agency · Magnet rare earths and energy technologies
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory · Promethium context
- U.S. FDA · MRI and regulated contrast context · Lutetium-177 therapy context
- Magnes · Technical disclosure and claims boundary