Overview

• The La Rochelle plant, operated by Solvay, has launched a new recycling line to extract high-purity rare earths from used permanent magnets.
• The facility produces neodymium and praseodymium at 99.999% purity, essential for electric motors and offshore wind turbines critical to the energy transition.
• China controls 90% of the global rare earth supply, creating geopolitical vulnerabilities for Europe, which imports over 90% of its needs.
• European and French authorities are reviewing support measures to scale the plant and bolster strategic autonomy in critical raw materials.
• The facility is the only one in Europe capable of producing both light and heavy rare earths at industrial scale, positioning it as a key player in diversifying supply chains.