U.S. Pushes Fe–N Magnets, Warns on NdFeB Reliance

As the House Select Committee on China meets, Niron Magnetics CEO Jonathan Rowntree will press for a domestic magnet supply chain that includes rare-earth-free iron–nitrogen (Fe–N) technology.
China still produces roughly 93% of global rare-earth magnets and has tightened controls on elements such as dysprosium and terbium, exposing strategic vulnerabilities for industry and defense.
Rowntree argues Fe–N magnets, manufactured in the U.S., can plausibly replace NdPr- and heavy-REE-dependent magnets in lower- and mid-performance markets - appliances, industrial motors, and auxiliary automotive systems - reducing exposure where supply risk is greatest.
But engineers and defense planners caution that Fe–N currently cannot match the high coercivity and temperature stability of dysprosium-doped NdFeB magnets required for EV drivetrains, precision actuators, and high-temperature aerospace platforms.
Policy recommendations center on diversification: fund domestic manufacturing, back alternative chemistries and large-scale R&D, and simultaneously secure the NdFeB backbone essential to high-performance defense capabilities.
The balanced approach seeks to exploit Fe–N’s promise without underinvesting in the heavy rare-earth supply chain that many mission-critical systems still require.