Sticking It To The Earth, Rarely

Rare Earth Magnets were first developed in 1966 by Dr. Karl J. Strnat with his discovery of a high energy product of a compound called Samarium-Cobalt. This group was soon replaced by the development of a Neodymium-Iron-Boron compound in 1983, which nearly doubled the stickiness of these magnets. Both compounds continue to have beneficial applications based on the individual properties of each compound. The name of these magnets can be misleading as the metals used to produce them are neither rare nor particularly valuable. These compounds can be easily magnetized and once a direction is obtained it is very difficult for the polarization to be reversed. This high magnetic strength and the stable alignment of the combination make them the strongest magnets in the world.

They are used in a variety of applications in several different industries. Manufacturing is the largest industry that uses them, while related health uses and electrical applications continue to show rapid growth. The most used application continues to be in electrical motors that operate at high temperatures while the application of these magnets to the body in alternative health treatments continues to grow with moderate success. Their use in the development of computer parts and gaming applications will continue to grow as that field still shows continued growth.

Rare earth magnets produce their own laundry list of hazards because of their special properties and strength. The power of a magnet more than a half inch long is strong enough to cause damage to human tissue caught between two of them. The material they are made of are of such a brittle material that they often break and chip when allowed to strike each other. They can also cause damage to sensitive electronic equipment.

Current medical research shows no reproducible, beneficial effects of magnetic therapy. However, research continues as the field of alternative medicine continues to praise the benefits of magnetic therapy. Most of the major medical research in this field relates to the safety of these type compounds to people and their role in the development of various forms of cancer. A number of organizations have published safety standards for the use of these magnets, with major contributor of standards produced by Lawrence Livermore.


One of the most impressive uses of rare earth magnets has to do with their use in the field of braking, especially as it relates to roller coasters. The ability of the magnets to reduce oscillation during rapid deceleration allows items to come to a stop much faster and with less damage occurring to metal-to-metal contact surfaces than with any other type of system available today. Commercially produced magnets are also used by magicians for psycho kinetic feats of prestidigitation. This compound is also used to as a damper fluid for high end speaker drivers, CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives as well.