Environmental



Less Common Metals (LCM) Ltd operates an environmental management system that is certified to ISO14001:2004. LCM is committed to environmental improvement and the maintenance of an effective environmental management system and the company is in the process of transitioning to the new ISO14001:2015 standard.

Environmental Policy

LCM Ltd manufactures and supplies a wide range of rare earth metals and high purity alloys by the reduction of salts and oxides, and by the alloying of metals in electrolytic, resistance and induction melting furnaces. By adopting a life-cycle perspective LCM recognises the impact its activities have on the environment.This includes the sourcing and procurement of our raw materials, to the end of life impacts associated with the consumer products containing our metals and alloys. As a consequence it is our intention to maintain and continually improve our environmental management system, in accordance with ISO 14001: 2015, such that it achieves the goals of protection of the environment (including the prevention of pollution), improved environmental performance and meeting all our compliance obligations.

The following policy commitments will allow us to meet these goals:

  • Ensure the ethical sourcing, procurement and supply of our raw materials through the use of suppliers that have been fully evaluated and approved
  • Actively collaborate with other industry participants in order to achieve more sustainable supplies and diversified market opportunities
  • Ensure that our environmental management system objectives and processes are effectively embedded within wider business processes and ensure that the latter respond to the risks and opportunities presented by the changing local and global context within which LCM operates
  • Establish and monitor the progress of annual environmental improvement objectives; these will be informed by our significant environmental aspects, compliance obligations and identified risks and opportunities
  • Improve our energy efficiency (such as through investment in energy-efficient technology, maximising the efficiency of processes and the use of best available technology) and regularly monitor our effectiveness in achieving this
  • Minimise the environmental impact of our waste generation through in-process recycling, increasing resource efficiency and ensuring all possible waste streams are segregated for recycling
  • Implement effective communication mechanisms and comprehensive internal training programmes with the aim of establishing and continuing a culture of environmental awareness within the company. This will ensure all staff are aware of their role in maintaining an effective environmental management system and in minimising the risk of adverse environmental impacts from operations


The Management Team is responsible for the implementation of this policy and for ensuring that adequate resources exist to sustain an effective environmental management system. This policy will be communicated to all staff and contractors within LCM and made available to interested parties.

Scope of the Environmental Management System

The scope of the LCM Environmental Management System provides a statement of the physical, functional and organizational boundaries applicable to the System and is described by the following set of activities which take place at the following location: Unit 2 Hooton Park, North Road, Ellesmere Port CH65 1BL:

  • The procurement, import and delivery of rare earth and transition metal raw materials, including audit of supplier working practices
  • The production and supply of rare earth and transition metals and alloys (such as Neodymium-Boron- Iron and Samarium-Cobalt alloys for the permanent magnet industry) using processes such as alloy casting, solid state coreduction, powder production and electrolysis
  • Compositional analysis of raw materials and finished products
  • Sub-contracted operations associated with plant maintenance and site security
  • Participation in collaborative ventures focusing on the recycling of strategic materials
  • Warehousing, packing, sales activities and distribution of finished goods to the UK and internationally principally Europe and the Far East.