Workshop on sustainable materials and lifecycle management for accelerators

The last accelerator upgrades show that it is possible to significantly save grid energy by using permanent magnets instead of the classical electromagnets. At DESY the upgrade of PETRA foresees a new magnet lattice to achieve low beam emittance, and with the given parameters only permanent magnets allow to realise such lattice.

But advantages of permanent magnets don’t come for free. Key materials in permanent magnets are Rare Earth Elements (and cobalt), which are mostly mined and processed in China under precarious conditions for people and environment. Additionally, the recycling of these materials is not yet established in an industrial scale and is just beginning. The workshop raised awareness for these problems and explored ways for solutions and suggestions how the accelerator community can contribute to tackle challenges.