▁in ▁consumer ▁products , ▁but ▁it ▁was ▁vac ated ▁by ▁a ▁US ▁federal ▁court ▁decision ▁in ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁in ▁a ▁case ▁brought ▁by ▁the ▁one ▁remaining ▁manufact urer . ▁After ▁the ▁rule ▁was ▁null ified , ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁ing estion ▁inc idents ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁rose ▁sharp ly , ▁and ▁is ▁estimated ▁to ▁exceed ▁ 1 , 5 0 0 ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁ ▁App lications ▁ ▁Since ▁their ▁prices ▁became ▁compet itive ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s , ▁ne od ym ium ▁magnet s ▁have ▁been ▁replacing ▁al nico ▁and ▁fer rite ▁magnet s ▁in ▁the ▁many ▁applications ▁in ▁modern ▁technology ▁requiring ▁powerful ▁magnet s . ▁ ▁Their ▁greater ▁strength ▁allows ▁smaller ▁and ▁l ighter ▁magnet s ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁for ▁a ▁given ▁application . ▁ ▁Common ▁applications ▁▁ ▁Common ▁applications ▁of ▁rare - ear th ▁magnet s ▁include : ▁ ▁computer ▁hard ▁disk ▁drives ▁ ▁wind ▁tur bine ▁gener ators ▁▁ ▁speak ers ▁/ ▁head ph ones ▁ ▁b icy cle ▁dynam os ▁▁ ▁M RI ▁sc ann ers ▁ ▁fish ing ▁re el ▁bra kes ▁ ▁permanent ▁magnet ▁mot ors ▁in ▁cord less ▁tools ▁ ▁high - per formance ▁AC ▁ser vo ▁mot ors ▁ ▁tra ction ▁mot ors ▁and ▁integrated ▁st arter - gener ators ▁in ▁hy brid ▁and ▁electric ▁vehicles ▁ ▁mechan ically ▁power ed ▁flash light s , ▁employ ing ▁rare ▁earth ▁magnet s ▁for ▁generating ▁electric ity ▁in ▁a ▁sh aking ▁motion ▁or