Rare earth magnets consist mainly of intermetallic compounds of rare earth metals (samarium, neodymium) and transition metals (such as cobalt, iron). In contrast to hard ferrite magnets, milling, pressing, and sintering is carried out in an inert gas atmosphere. The magnets are pressed either in an oil bath (isostatically) or in a die (axially or diametrically). Afterward, they may be further processed, for example by grinding with diamond discs.