> * Globally, less than 1% of the rare-earth metals in expired technology gets recycled, according to a report published last year by the United Nations. That is because separating the magnets from the other materials and parts they are embedded in hasn’t been cost-effective—especially when access to low-cost products from China hasn’t been a worry. *

Republished via the FT partnership to be available without paywall. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43926186