A method for the production of powdery starting material (AM1, AM2), which is provided for the manufacture of rare earth magnets, comprising the following steps: - providing at least one magnetic or magnetizable raw material, respectively; - comminuting the provided at least one magnetic or magnetizable raw material, respectively, in a first method step, wherein a powdery intermediate product is created from the at least one magnetic or magnetizable raw material, respectively, wherein the powder particles of the powdery intermediate product have corners and/or edges; - rounding the powder particles of the powdery intermediate product in a second method step following the first method step by forming a powdery product, which is provided with rounded powder particles; wherein for the rounding of the powder particles of the powdery intermediate product, the corners and edges thereof are reduced and/or abraded, wherein the rounded powder particles of the powdery product created thereby have the same size as the edged powder particles of the powdery intermediate product, namely a particle size of 2 um to 10 um, preferably between 3 um to 5 um, - wherein the abrading process is performed by means of an abrading device, in which the powder particles of the powdery intermediate product are moved in such a way that the powder particles of the powdery intermediate product rub against each other, - wherein the rounding of the powder particles of the powdery intermediate product is performed at a gas pressure of between 0.25 bar and 1.00 bar; - use of the optimized powdery product as first starting material for the manufacture of first rare earth magnets or - classifying the optimized powdery product, wherein very fine abrasion portions created in response to the rounding are removed and use of the fraction comprising the rounded powder particles after the classification as second starting material for the manufacture of second rare earth magnets. - providing at least one magnetic or magnetizable raw material, respectively; - comminuting the provided at least one magnetic or magnetizable raw material, respectively, in a first method step, wherein a powdery intermediate product is created from the at least one magnetic or magnetizable raw material, respectively, wherein the powder particles of the powdery intermediate product have corners and/or edges; - rounding the powder particles of the powdery intermediate product in a second method step following the first method step by forming a powdery product, which is provided with rounded powder particles; wherein for the rounding of the powder particles of the powdery intermediate product, the corners and edges thereof are reduced and/or abraded, wherein the rounded powder particles of the powdery product created thereby have the same size as the edged powder particles of the powdery intermediate product, namely a particle size of 2 um to 10 um, preferably between 3 um to 5 um, - wherein the abrading process is performed by means of an abrading device, in which the powder particles of the powdery intermediate product are moved in such a way that the powder particles of the powdery intermediate product rub against each other, - wherein the rounding of the powder particles of the powdery intermediate product is performed at a gas pressure of between 0.25 bar and 1.00 bar; - use of the optimized powdery product as first starting material for the manufacture of first rare earth magnets or - classifying the optimized powdery product, wherein very fine abrasion portions created in response to the rounding are removed and use of the fraction comprising the rounded powder particles after the classification as second starting material for the manufacture of second rare earth magnets.