Recycle method and recycle apparatus for powder for rare earth sintered magnet

Abstract

Provided are a recycle method and apparatus for effectively obtaining a recycled alloy powder which is hardly oxidized and which has substantially the same particle diameter as that of alloy powder used for forming a molded body, by using the molded body formed by press molding in manufacturing a rare earth sintered magnet. A method for recycling a powder containing a rare earth element, comprising the steps of: i) placing in an oil a molded body for a rare earth sintered magnet, the molded body comprising a powder containing a rare earth element; ii) arranging the oil and at least a part of the molded body in between a plurality of plate-like first crushing teeth opposed to each other and a plate-like second crushing tooth having at least its part positioned between the adjacent first crushing teeth; iii) rotating at least either one of the plurality of first crushing teeth and the second crushing tooth without contacting to each other such that the first crushing teeth and the second crushing tooth serve to change a part of the second crushing tooth positioned between the adjacent first crushing teeth.