Spanish company Técnicas Reunidas has announced a significant technological breakthrough by successfully producing its first kilograms of Neodymium/Praseodymium (Nd/Pr) oxide with commercial purity and specifications. This achievement is part of the strategic rare earth market and has a direct connection to the province of Jaén.

The company has already signed a services and engineering contract integrating this technology into the rare earth mining project being developed by Australian firm Osmond Resources on Jaén's soil. Nd/Pr oxide is a critical component with high demand for the manufacturing of permanent magnets, essential for electric vehicle motors and wind turbines, thus contributing to European decarbonization goals.

This advancement was made possible by the patented Raretech technology, developed by Técnicas Reunidas for the separation and purification of rare earths. Production was achieved at the pilot plant of the company's technology center in Madrid, within the framework of the European project Permanet (Permanent Magnet Network for the European Transition), funded by the EU's Horizon Europe program.

The Permanet project, led by Técnicas Reunidas, aims to establish the first complete European value chain for permanent magnet production, from the extraction and refining of rare earths to magnet manufacturing. The consortium involves 34 partners from eleven countries, including large corporations, SMEs, research centers, and universities.