Following extensive preparations, the German consortium travelled to Brazil in November 2019 to develop the project further with their Brazilian colleagues from the affiliated project. Over the three intensive workshop days, the scientists from Germany and Brazil exchanged their latest scientific results, but also got to know one another better on a personal  level too. In addition to technical discussions, they also debated potenital markets for their work, possible business models, and the resulting requirements for the didymium iron boron magnets they will develop, based on the definitions given by relevant stakeholders.

In addition, the scientists had the opportunity to visit project partner CBMM's niobium mine in Araxá to gain an impression of where and how rare earths are mined. This was an appropriate end to the trip as it brought the team full circle. It was in this same place that they had taken important decisions regarding the project’s planning during the first delegation trip back in 2016.

In the workshop scientific results were exchanged...

... and lively debated.

At the niobium mine in Araxá.

Click here for the press release (in German) from project partner Fraunhofer IWKS.