▁have ▁gained ▁popular ity ▁in ▁the ▁mini atures ▁g aming ▁community ▁for ▁their ▁small ▁size ▁and ▁relative ▁strength ▁assist ing ▁in ▁bas ing ▁and ▁sw apping ▁weapons ▁between ▁models . ▁ ▁R are - ear th - free ▁permanent ▁magnet s ▁The ▁United ▁States ▁Department ▁of ▁Energy ▁has ▁identified ▁a ▁need ▁to ▁find ▁subst it utes ▁for ▁rare - ear th ▁met als ▁in ▁permanent - mag net ▁technology ▁and ▁has ▁begun ▁fund ing ▁such ▁research . ▁The ▁Advanced ▁Research ▁Project s ▁Agency - E ner gy ▁( AR PA - E ) ▁has ▁spons ored ▁a ▁R are ▁Earth ▁Altern atives ▁in ▁Crit ical ▁Techn ologies ▁( RE ACT ) ▁program , ▁to ▁develop ▁alternative ▁materials . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 1 , ▁AR PA - E ▁awarded ▁ 3 1 . 6 ▁million ▁dollars ▁to ▁fund ▁R are - E arth ▁Sub st itute ▁projects . ▁ ▁Rec y cling ▁efforts ▁The ▁European ▁Union ' s ▁E T N - D em eter ▁project ▁( Europe an ▁Training ▁Network ▁for ▁the ▁Design ▁and ▁Rec y cling ▁of ▁R are - E arth ▁P erman ent ▁Mag net ▁Mot ors ▁and ▁Gener ators ▁in ▁Hy brid ▁and ▁Full ▁Electric ▁Ve h icles ) ▁is ▁exam ining ▁sust ain able ▁design ▁of ▁electric ▁mot ors ▁used ▁in ▁vehicles . ▁They ▁are , ▁for ▁example , ▁design ing ▁electric ▁mot ors ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁magnet s ▁can ▁be ▁easily ▁removed ▁for ▁rec y cling ▁the ▁rare ▁earth ▁met als . ▁ ▁See ▁also