GB/T 46992-2025Technical specification for the classification and comprehensive utilization of recyclable rare earth secondary resources (English PDF)

3.1 Rare earth secondary resources

Rare earth-containing materials generated during production, processing, or consumption that no longer possess their original utility value, but whose contained rare earth elements can be restored to a state of utility through processing.

NOTE 1: Rare earth secondary resources include, but are not limited to, rare earth-containing recoverable materials generated during production and processing activities -such as the manufacture of rare earth magnetic materials, phosphors, hydrogen storage alloys, polishing powders, catalysts, crystals, ceramics, and sputtering targets, as well as smelting operations - as well as rare earth-containing materials and scrap recovered from the dismantling of discarded components and waste products generated during consumption.

NOTE 2: After processing, rare earth secondary resources can be reused or utilized for the extraction of valuable elements, such as rare earths.

3.2 Comprehensive utilization of rare earth secondary resources

Production activities involving the recovery of rare earth elements and other valuable elements from rare earth secondary resources.

3.3 Secondary resources of rare earth magnetic material

Recyclable materials generated during the production and processing of rare earth magnetic materials - including grinding sludge, cuttings, shavings, scrap trimmings, slag, and rejected parts - as well as rare earth magnetic material-containing components recovered from the dismantling of waste electronic devices and other end-of-life products.

3.4 Secondary resources of rare earth phosphor

Recyclable materials generated during the production and processing of rare earth phosphors, as well as materials containing rare earth phosphors recovered from the dismantling of discarded components arising from consumption processes.

3.5 Secondary resources of rare earth hydrogen storage alloy

Recyclable materials generated during the production and processing of rare earth hydrogen storage alloys, as well as materials containing rare earth hydrogen storage alloys recovered from the dismantling of discarded components following their consumption.

3.6 Secondary resources of rare earth polishing powder

Recyclable materials generated during the production and processing of rare earth polishing powders, as well as waste materials containing rare earth polishing powders generated during consumption.

3.7 Secondary resources of rare earth catalyst

Recyclable materials generated during the production and processing of rare earth catalysts - including rare earth-containing rejects, as well as spent rare earth catalysts exhibiting reduced activity or total deactivation - along with rare earth catalyst-containing materials and scrap recovered from the dismantling of obsolete components discarded during the consumption phase.

3.8 Secondary resources of rare earth crystals

Recyclable materials generated during the production and processing of rare earth crystals - including substandard intermediates, furnace residues, cutting scraps, grinding residues, and rejected products - as well as rare earth crystal-containing materials recovered from the dismantling of discarded components generated during the consumption phase.

3.9 Secondary resources of rare earth ceramics

Recyclable materials generated during the production and processing of rare earth ceramics, as well as rare earth-containing ceramic materials recovered from the dismantling of discarded components following their consumption.

3.10 Secondary resources of rare earth targets

Recyclable materials generated during the production, processing, and consumption of rare earth sputtering targets - including grinding sludge, cuttings, shavings, offcuts, rejects, and residual targets.

3.11 Secondary resource of rare earth-containing metallurgical

Rare earth-containing recyclable materials generated during hydrometallurgical separation and pyrometallurgical processes, as well as waste and scrap materials generated during consumption.

4.1 Classification of rare earth secondary resources

Rare earth secondary resources are primarily classified into nine major categories: secondary resources of rare earth magnetic material, secondary resources of rare earth phosphor, secondary resources of rare earth hydrogen storage alloy, secondary resources of rare earth polishing powder, secondary resources of rare earth catalyst, secondary resources of rare earth crystals, secondary resources of rare earth ceramics, secondary resources of rare earth targets and secondary resource of rare earth-containing metallurgical. The specific rare earth elements predominant within each of these rare earth secondary resources categories are listed in Annex A.

4.2 Coding of rare earth secondary resources

4.2.1 The classification and coding of rare earth secondary resources is divided into the following three levels.

a) The first level represents rare earth secondary resources, denoted as SRRE;

b) The second level constitutes the primary classification of rare earth secondary resources. 01 denotes secondary resources of rare earth magnetic material; 02 denotes secondary resources of rare earth phosphor; 03 denotes secondary resources of rare earth hydrogen storage alloy; 04 denotes secondary resources of rare earth polishing powder; 05 denotes secondary resources of rare earth catalyst; 06 denotes secondary resources of rare earth crystals; 07 denotes secondary resources of rare earth ceramics; 08 denotes secondary resources of rare earth targets; 09 denotes secondary resource of rare earth-containing metallurgical.

c) The third level is the secondary classification of rare earth secondary resources. Differentiation is based on the primary rare earth elements, application fields, and functional characteristics of each type of secondary resource. Secondary resources derived from rare earth magnetic materials, hydrogen storage alloys, and polishing powders are classified according to their characteristic elements. Secondary resources from rare earth phosphors are classified based on their functional characteristics. Secondary resources from rare earth crystals, ceramics, and sputtering targets are classified according to their primary chemical structures. Finally, secondary resources from catalysts and secondary resource of rare earth-containing metallurgical are classified based on their source sectors.

Specific classification codes are shown in Table 1. […]