Are There Any Alternatives for Rare-Earth Permanent Magnets?

Iron-based rare-earth permanent magnets are in high demand due to a large number of their ap plications, including electric cars and cell phones. Alternatives to rare-earth permanent magnets are discussed. Hard ferrites appear to be the simplest option for the replacement of rare-carth magnets due to their easy processing and low cost. The possibilities of replacing NdPrFeB magnets are discussed on the basis of the Bethe Slater curve. Instead of developing alternatives to rare-earth magnets, research should focus on cheap production of Nd and Pr.