Method for producing permanent magnet materials and resulting materials

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A carbothermic reduction method is provided for reducing a rare earth element-containing oxide including at least one of neodymium (Nd) and praseodymium (Pr) and possibly other rare earth elements (La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Sc, and Y) as alloying agents in the presence of carbon and a source of a reactant element including one or more of silicon, germanium, tin, lead, arsenic, antimony and bismuth to form a rare earth element-containing intermediate alloy as a master alloy for making permanent magnet material. The process is a more efficient, lower cost and environmentally friendly technology than current methods of manufacturing rare earth metals. The intermediate material is useful as a master alloy for making a permanent magnet material comprising at least one of neodymium and praseodymium, and possibly other rare earth metals as alloying additives.