[SMM News: German VAC Produces Heavy Rare Earth-Free NdFeB Alloy] German rare earth permanent magnet producer Vacuumschmelze (VAC) announced the launch of an NdFeB alloy free of heavy rare earths. This alloy, named VACODYM 902 TP, belongs to VAC's NdFeB product series and is designed to reduce the content of terbium and dysprosium. For a long time, Western magnet producers and buyers have been racing to develop magnets free of heavy rare earths dysprosium and terbium, striving to reduce supply chain vulnerabilities while maintaining performance similar to high-performance NdFeB magnets. Currently, only China has large-scale production capacity for terbium and dysprosium, though rare earth producers in other parts of the world are actively seeking to develop related production outside China. For example, Lynas Rare Earths initiated small-scale production of dysprosium oxide and terbium oxide in Malaysia this year. US critical minerals producer Energy Fuels achieved pilot-scale dysprosium production for the first time at the end of August and expects its Utah operations to achieve large-scale production of dysprosium and terbium by Q4 2026. Additionally, the US-based MP Materials rare earth mine contains heavy rare earth elements, which exist in the form of oxide powders or solid oxalates, including dysprosium and terbium.