Neodymium-based permanent magnets are strategic materials for the global energy transition, supporting technologies such as wind turbines and electric motors. However, the concentration of supply and the environmental impacts of rare-earth mining raise concerns about supply-chain security and technological dependence. This study analyzed the international scientific output on neodymium within the energy transition framework, identifying temporal trends, research areas, influential authors, and the geographic distribution of knowledge. The PROKNOW-C method was applied to the Scopus database, covering the period from 2004 to 2024. After filtering and standardization steps, 1384 documents were analyzed using VOSviewer to map networks of co-authorship, co-citation, and keyword co-occurrence. The results indicated a growth in publications after 2015, coinciding with intensifying debates on sustainability and technological innovation. These publications are concentrated around three main themes: energy efficiency in motors and technological advancements in wind turbine generators, circular economy strategies, and the development of alternative materials. Scientific output is led by China, the United States, and Japan. Ultimately, this mapping reveals that while the electromechanical application of neodymium is a consolidated field, there is an urgent need to foster research and public policies focused on recycling technologies to mitigate supply-chain vulnerabilities and ensure the material security of the global energy transition.
Raymundo et al. (Tue,) studied this question.