Hertha Metals achieves magnet-grade iron purity in Texas

Hertha Metals has announced that it has successfully produced iron at a purity level of 99.95 per cent, a specification required by leading rare earth magnet manufacturers. This milestone was achieved at the company’s demonstration-scale steelmaking facility located in Conroe, Texas. The Houston-based startup stated that this production marks the first time a US company has reached this standard using fully domestic inputs. By establishing a local source for this material, the firm aims to address a significant gap in the national supply chain, as the United States currently imports almost all of its high-purity iron from overseas.

The company is developing a proprietary process known as FLEXHERS, which stands for flexible fuel hydrogen electric reduction smelting. This technology combines electric arc furnace methods with natural gas or hydrogen to produce iron and steel. Chief executive Laureen Meroueh explained that while recent reshoring efforts have focused on rare earth elements and finished magnets, high-purity iron constitutes the majority of the weight in neodymium magnets. Meroueh noted that achieving this purity using domestic iron ore and natural gas closes a critical gap, allowing domestic magnet producers to source materials locally at a lower cost.

High-purity iron is an essential input for rare earth magnets, accounting for roughly 70 per cent of the weight in neodymium magnets used in electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, and defense systems. The timing of this announcement coincides with a January 1, 2027, deadline for defense manufacturers to reduce their reliance on Chinese-origin magnets and critical materials. As US industry races to qualify domestic alternatives, Hertha plans to break ground on its next facility, Chalyx, this fall. This new site will be dedicated to producing high-purity iron to the required specification for rare earth magnet producers, further supporting the development of a domestic supply chain.