Method for producing rare earth sintered magnet

1. A method for producing a rare earth sintered magnet, the method comprising the steps of:

molding a mixture of magnetic powder containing a rare earth compound and oil-extended rubber containing oil and rubber to produce a molded body;

removing the oil-extended rubber from the molded body; and

calcining the molded body from which the oil-extended rubber is removed to produce a rare earth sintered magnet,

wherein the rubber is at least one selected from a group consisting of polyisobutylene, ethylene-propylene rubber, styrene-butadiene rubber, butadiene rubber, isoprene rubber, butyl rubber and ethylene-propylene diene monomer rubber.

2. The method for producing a rare earth sintered magnet according to claim 1 , wherein in the molding, the molded body is produced by extrusion-molding the mixture.

3. The method for producing a rare earth sintered magnet according to claim 1 , wherein the rubber is made of a polymer containing no oxygen as a constituent element.

4. The method for producing a rare earth sintered magnet according to claim 1 , wherein the rubber is made of a polymer in which bonds between carbons are only single bonds.

5. The method for producing a rare earth sintered magnet according to claim 1 , wherein the content of the magnetic powder in the mixture is 80 to 95% by mass.

6. The method for producing a rare earth sintered magnet according to claim 1 , wherein the removing of the oil-extended rubber comprises the steps of removing mainly the oil from the molded body by heating the molded body, and removing mainly the rubber from the molded body by heating the molded body.