Question: are rare earth magnets the same as neodymium?
Answer: Rare Earth Magnets. There are two types of rare-earth magnets: samarium cobalt (SmCo) and neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB). SmCo and NdFeB magnets are called “rare earth” because they are made from the rare earth, or lanthanide series, of the periodic table of elements. ... NdFeB magnets became available to buy in 1984.