Sorption of Uranium and Rare-Earth Elements to Remove Radioactive Impurities in the Processing of Phosphate-containing Raw Materials

The results of an investigation of ash and slag wastes (ASW) of enterprises of the energy sector of Primorsky Krai are presented. The averaged contents of the main elements and mineral complexes in Primorsky Krai are given. It is shown that the mineral composition of the ASW data makes it possible to separate the primary raw materials into fractions with different compositions. A scheme is proposed for dividing the initial ash extractors into separate mineral fractions by the particle size and by their physical properties. The predominant concentration of gold, platinum, rare earth elements (REE) and a number of other valuable components in the heavy non-magnetic fraction isolated from the primary ASW was detected. Almost complete absence of gold, noble metals and REE in underburning of coal, magnetic and micro-dispersed fractions of ASW has been demonstrated. A device was offered for complex processing of ash and slag wastes of enterprises of the power industry of Primorsky Krai, which makes it possible to divide the initial ASW into mineral fractions, being raw materials for various industries.

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Extraction of Rare Earth Elements from Phospho-Gypsum: Concentrate Digestion, Leaching, and Purification

Metals ◽

10.3390/met10010131 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 131 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Lisa Brückner ◽

Tobias Elwert ◽

Thomas Schirmer

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Leach Solution ◽

Ammonium Bicarbonate ◽

Production Plant ◽

Mineralogical Characterization ◽

Process Route ◽

Cooperative Project ◽

The Rare Earth

Rare earth-bearing gypsum tailings from the fertilizer industry are a potential source for an economically viable and sustainable production of rare earth elements. Large quantities are generated inter alia in Catalão, Brazil, as a by-product in a fertilizer production plant. Hitherto, the gypsum has been used as soil conditioner in agriculture or was dumped. The cooperative project, “Catalão Monazite: Economical exploitation of rare earth elements from monazite-bearing secondary raw materials,” intends to extract rare earth elements from these gypsum tailings. In this paper, a chemical process route to obtain a mixed rare earth carbonate from a monazite concentrate, was investigated. The results of the digestion, leaching, and precipitation experiments are presented and discussed herein. This includes reagent choice, process parameter optimization through experimental design, mineralogical characterization of the feed material and residues, purification of the leach solution, and precipitation of the rare earth as carbonates. The results showed that a rare earth extraction of about 90% without the mobilization of key impurities is possible during a sulfuric acid digestion with two heating stages and subsequent leaching with water. In the following purification step, the remaining impurities were precipitated with ammonium solution and the rare earth elements were successfully recovered as carbonates with a mixture of ammonium solution and ammonium bicarbonate.

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The significance of energy consumption in environmental impact of rare earth elements recovery from tailings and mining waste

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/201910802011 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 108 ◽

pp. 02011

Author(s):

Karolina Kossakowska ◽

Katarzyna Grzesik

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Environmental Impact ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Energy Use ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Electricity Production ◽

The European Union ◽

The Eu ◽

Lca Results ◽

Critical Raw Materials

Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are identified as critical raw materials for the European Union economy. REEs are not currently produced in the EU, while there are several sources not properly addressed. Within the ENVIREE project tailings from New Kankberg (Sweden) and Covas (Portugal) were identified as rich in REEs and chosen for recovery processing. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology was used to evaluate the environmental impact of REEs recovery. The aim of this study is the detailed analysis of several scenarios with different electricity production schemes of REE recovery. The study discusses the share of energy use in the overall impact on the environment, taking into account diversification in the electricity production structure among EU countries. The energy use is a significant contributor to the overall environmental impact of studied cases. Its share in the total environmental burden is reaching up to 47%. The results show that applying the average electricity scheme production for Europe may lead to biased LCA results. For the accurate LCA results the local production schemes of energy for certain countries should be chosen.

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Estonian Paleozoic shelly phosphorites: a continent-scale resource for phosphorus and potential for rare earth elements

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-6062 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alvar Soesoo ◽

Kalle Kirsimäe

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Phosphorous Acid ◽

Geodynamic Setting ◽

Phosphate Rocks ◽

Large Variability ◽

Variable Content ◽

Rich Material ◽

Phosphate Deposits

Global phosphate demand is rising due to growing population and associated food demand. World consumption of P2O5 is forecasted to increase to 46 million tonnes in&#160;2020. Phosphate deposits and occurrences are widely distributed in Europe. However, very little phosphorus is produced in the EU to satisfy the growing demand for fertilizers. As a consequence, the European countries are net importers of phosphate, with an average of 4 M tonnes of natural phosphate-rich material imported per year. The European Commission has listed phosphates among critical raw materials with a significant supply risk. Other elements pertaining to this list can also be recovered from the phosphate deposits, as the rare earth elements (REE) and fluorspar (Goodenough et al., 2016). Estonia holds, the largest in Europe, unused sedimentary phosphate rock reserves, about 3 Billion metric tons (ca 819 Million metric tons of P2O5; Bauert & Soesoo, 2015). The Estonian shelly phosphate rocks are friable or weakly cemented bioclastic quartz sandstones deposited in shallow marine shoreface environment with a variable content of phosphatic brachiopod shells detritus. These sediments formed approximately 488 million years ago. The content of fossil shells ranges from 5&#8211;10% to 80&#8211;90 vol%. Brachiopod shells and enriched detritus contain up to 35&#8211;37% P2O5. Recent studies have revealed relatively enriched but variable content of REEs in these phosphate shells. For example, La in single shells ranges 50 to 550 ppm, Ce &#8211; 40&#8211;1200 ppm, Pr - 4&#8211;170 ppm, Nd &#8211; 20&#8211;800 ppm, Sm &#8211; 3&#8211;180 ppm, Gd &#8211; 4&#8211;135 ppm. The total REEs can reach 3000 ppm, however, in average they are ranging between 1000 and 2000 ppm. &#160;At the moment the Estonian phosphorites cannot regarded as an economic REE source, but considering REEs as a co-product of phosphorous production, it may economically be feasible. Large variability in REE concentrations results probably from post-depositional diagenetic processes but its geological controls need further study. Although the raw ore enrichment (separating shells from sandstone) and phosphorous extraction are technologically easy, the technology for REE extraction in parallel with the phosphorous acid production needs further developments. Relying on the vast phosphorite reserves in Estonia, the critical nature of both the phosphorus and REEs for the European economy and security, it may be a worthwhile opportunity to develop these resources into production at the European scale.&#160;REFERENCES<ol><li>Goodenough, J. Schilling, E. Jonsson, P. Kalvig, N. Charle, F. Tuduri, E. Deady, M. Sadeghi, H. Schiellerup, A. M&#252;ller, B. Bertrand, N. Arvanitidis, D. Eliopoulos, R. Shaw, K. Thrane, N. Keulen. Europe's rare earth element resource potential: An overview of REE metallogenetic provinces and their geodynamic setting. Ore Geology Reviews, 72, 838-856 (2016).</li> <li>Bauert, A. Soesoo. Shelly phosphate rocks of Estonia, in Strategic raw materials of Estonia, Rakvere Conference, Rakvere, Estonia, (2015).</li> </ol>

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Bioleaching of Metals and Rare Earth Elements from Secondary Raw Materials Using Acidophilic Bacteria and Fungi

Chemie Ingenieur Technik ◽

10.1002/cite.201650166 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 88 (9) ◽

pp. 1346-1346 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

R. Auerbach ◽

K. Bokelmann ◽

R. Stauber ◽

S. Schnell ◽

S. Ratering

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Secondary Raw Materials ◽

Acidophilic Bacteria ◽

Bacteria And Fungi

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Rare Earth Elements Biorecovery from Mineral Ores and Industrial Wastes

10.5772/intechopen.94594 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Laura Castro ◽

M. Luisa Blázquez ◽

Felisa González ◽

Jesús A. Muñoz

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Solid Wastes ◽

Industrial Wastes ◽

Green Economy ◽

Soluble Form ◽

Alternative Source ◽

Novel Technologies ◽

Phosphate Solubilizing

Rare earth elements (REEs) are critical raw materials and are attracting interest because of their applications in novel technologies and green economy. Biohydrometallurgy has been used to extract other base metals; however, bioleaching studies of REE mineral extraction from mineral ores and wastes are yet in their infancy. Mineral ores have been treated with a variety of microorganisms. Phosphate-solubilizing microorganims are particularly relevant in the bioleaching of monazite because transform insoluble phosphate into more soluble form which directly and/or indirectly contributes to their metabolism. The increase of wastes containing REEs turns them into an important alternative source. The application of bioleaching techniques to the treatment of solid wastes might contribute to the conversion towards a more sustainable and environmental friendly economy minimizing the amount of tailings or residues that exert a harmful impact on the environment.

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GEOLOGICAL INDUSTRIAL ASSESSMENT AND RANKING OF PROMISING OBJECTS OF THE DOMESTIC BASE OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS

Visnyk of Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv Geology ◽

10.17721/1728-2713.93.04 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 32-40

Author(s):

V. Mykhailov ◽

M. Kurilo ◽

S. Kosharna

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Industrial Development ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Technological Development ◽

Energy Transition ◽

Green Energy ◽

High Tech ◽

Mining Operations ◽

Field Development

Changes in the priority areas of financing in the field of subsurface use and their widespread reorientation to the search for alternative sources of raw materials which could ensure the development of modern high-tech industries are the promising direction for the country's growth in sustainable development conditions and Green Energy Transition. And at the moment the only resource that can ensure safe progress in the future and plays an important role in today's technological development is rare earth elements (REE). Within the framework of this study information on the current state of awareness about the REE mining prospects in Ukraine was analyzed and generalized; the systematization and updating of available data on quantitative and qualitative REE ore occurrences and deposits characteristics and their geological and industrial parameters was done; the main obstacles / barriers to the active mining development on these objects of potential extraction were identified. The obtained ranking results of domestic deposits and REE manifestations prove the expediency of investing in geological exploration and mining operations conducted in certain areas, which are identified as the most attractive for further industrial development and generally emphasize the prospects of the studied area and justify the need in intensification of selected rare earth objects field development.

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Development of methods for the recovery оf rare-earth elements from the mineral resources of the Arctic

10.37614/978.5.91137.455.6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

E. P. Lokshin ◽

◽

O. A. Tareeva ◽

◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Mineral Resources ◽

The Arctic ◽

Resource Saving ◽

Apatite Concentrate ◽

Naturally Occurring ◽

Wide Range ◽

Rare Earth Mineral

This paper summarizes the findings of the research aimed at the development of a new method for the integrated processing of naturally occurring and anthropogenic rare-earth raw materials based on the decomposition of rare-earth element (REE) concentrates in the presence of sulfocationite. Sorption and desorption of REE cations on a strongly acidic ion exchanger, sorbent regeneration, and REE recovery from eluates are discussed. A virtually zero-waste integrated process for apatite concentrate is proposed. The generalization of the research findings is aimed at demonstrating the prospects and universality of the proposed resource-saving and environmentally safe approach to the processing of various types of naturally occurring and anthropogenic rare-earth mineral feeds. The new methodology made it possible to develop a number of new hydrochemical processes united by a single approach, providing a qualitative increase in the processing performance of various types of rare-earth mineral feeds. The theoretical foundations of a unified approach to the processing of a wide range of minerals can significantly accelerate and cheapen the implementation of specific process circuits, significantly reduce reagent consumption and waste generation, simplify the separation of rare earth elements and impurities, and the separation of rare earth elements from naturally occurring radionuclides, fluorine, and phosphorus. The study was funded by the Kolarctic CBC 2014-2020 program, Project KO1030 SEESIMA — Supporting Environmental Economic and Social Impacts of Mining Activity.

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Środowiskowe i prawne uwarunkowania pozyskiwania pierwiastków ziem rzadkich

Studia Iuridica Lublinensia ◽

10.17951/sil.2020.29.1.197-213 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 29 (1) ◽

pp. 197

Author(s):

Hanna Spasowska-Czarny

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Mineral Resources ◽

Limited Resource ◽

Energy Resources ◽

Resource Base ◽

Wind Generators ◽

Essential Components ◽

Organic Resources

To run an efficient and well developed economy, it is necessary to procure materials and elements belonging to four main groups, that is energy resources, organic resources, water and mineral resources. Non-energy resources, including critical raw materials, have limited resource base, significant dispersal of minerals and very limited possible substitution. Those resources include rare earth elements, which set directions for contemporary dynamic development of many industries. With the development of innovative technologies, the demand for essential components has grown. The use of rare earth elements to develop energy-efficient technologies is very promising, especially in wind generators and hybrid cars.

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Mineralogical and Geochemical Characteristics of Lithium and Rare Earth Elements in High-Sulfur Coal from the Donggou Mine, Chongqing, Southwestern China

Minerals ◽

10.3390/min10070627 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 627

Author(s):

Jianhua Zou ◽

Longfei Cheng ◽

Yuanchen Guo ◽

Zhengcheng Wang ◽

Heming Tian ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Rare Earth ◽

Rare Earth Elements ◽

Raw Materials ◽

Geochemical Characteristics ◽

Critical Elements ◽

Geological Factors ◽

Potential Alternative ◽

Geological Factor ◽

Alternative Sources ◽

Coal Measures

Coal and coal by-products are considered as the potential raw materials for critical elements (e.g., rare earth elements, Li, Ga, Ge, etc.), which have attracted much attention in recent years. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics, and controlling geological factors of lithium and rare earth elements in the Lopingian (Wujiaping Formation) coal from the Donggou Mine, southeastern Chongqing Coalfield, China. Results indicate that lithium and rare earth elements are significantly enriched in the Donggou coals, which could be new potential alternative sources for critical elements. Concentrations of lithium and rare earth elements in the Donggou coals gradually increase from top to bottom. Lithium is mainly associated with kaolinite, while rhabdophane, florencite, goyazite, and xenotime are the main hosts of rare earth elements. The controlling geological factor is the groundwater leaching of underlying tuff, and to a lesser extent, the terrigenous clastic materials input from the top layer of the Kangdian Upland. This study provides mineralization information for lithium and rare earth elements exploration in coal measures.

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