Siemens has selected Molycorp to supply rare earth materials over the next 10 years from its Mountain Pass, California facility for incorporation into Siemens’ direct drive wind turbines.
Molycorp will supply rare earth materials to Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. (Shin-Etsu), which will produce the rare earth magnets Siemens intends to utilise in its wind turbines. Siemens officials said that the magnets to be used in its direct drive wind turbines will contain reduced levels of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs), such as dysprosium. In collaboration with Siemens Wind Power, Molycorp and Shin-Etsu will improve the magnet material to reach zero HREEs, Siemens said.
