Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T18:34:25.816Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An overview of rare-earth recovery by ion-exchange leaching from ion-adsorption clays of various origins

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

G. A. Moldoveanu  and
V. G. Papangelakis
G. A. Moldoveanu
Affiliation:
Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, 200 College Street, Toronto, M5S 3E5, Canada
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Continuous development of advanced technologies has created increasing demand for rare-earth elements (REE), with global emphasis on identifying new alternate sources to ensure adequate supply. Ore deposits containing physically adsorbed lanthanides are substantially lower grade than other REE deposit types; however, the low mining and processing costs make them economically attractive as sources of REE. To evaluate the commercial potential for the recovery of REEs from ion-adsorption deposits in a systematic manner, a standardized procedure for REE leaching was developed previously. Using this procudure it was found that, regardless of variations in ore origin and REE content, all REE consistently reached peak extraction levels under ambient conditions with fast kinetics. Various techniques to improve the REE extraction through process variations were also investigated: it was found that decreasing the L:S ratio, re-using leachate on fresh ores and counter-current leaching were all capable of increasing REE concentrations in the resultant leachate, albeit at the expense of REE extraction levels. In addition, the water content trapped in the leached material was found to contain significant amounts of REE and residual lixiviant requiring thorough washing of the solid residue.

Keywords

Rare-Earth ElementsIon-Exchange LeachingIon-Adsorption OresLanthanide ExtractionClay Minerals
Type
Research Article
Information
Mineralogical Magazine , Volume 80 , Issue 1 , February 2016 , pp. 63 - 76
Copyright
Copyright © The Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2016

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adachi, G., Imanaka, N. and Tamura, S. (2010) Research trends in rare earths: A preliminary analysis. Journal of Rare Earths, 28, 843–846. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bao, Z. and Zhao, Z. (2008) Geochemistry of mineralization with exchangeable REY in the weathering crusts of granitic rocks in South China. Ore Geology Reviews, 33, 519–535. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bard, A.J., Parsons, R. and Jordan, R. (1985) Standard Potentials in Aqueous Solutions. Marcel Dekker, New York, USA.Google Scholar
Bradbury, M.H. and Baeyens, B. (2002) Sorption of Eu on Na- and Ca-montmorillonites: Experimental investiga¬tions and modeling with cation exchange and surface complexation. Geochimica and Cosmochimica Acta, 66, 3964–3979. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castor, S.B. (2008) Rare earth deposits of North America. Resource Geology, 58, 337—347 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cheuk, F., Moldoveanu, G., Abendschein, S., Krause, E. and Papangelakis, V (2014) Extraction of rare earth elements from various ion-adsorption clays. Proceedings of the 53rd Conference of Metallurgists (COM 2014), Metallurgical Society of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (MetSoc-CIM), Vancouver, Canada.Google Scholar
Chi, R. and Tian, J. (2008) Weathered Crust Elution-deposited Rare Earth Ores. Nova Science Publishers, New York, USA.Google Scholar
Chi, R., Tian, J.,Li, Z., Peng, C., Wu, Y., Li, S., Wang, C. and Zhou, Z. (2005) Existing State and Partitioning of Rare Earth on Weathered Ores. Journal of Rare Earths, 23, 756–759. Google Scholar
Chi, R., Tian, J., Luo, X., Xu, Z. and He, Z. (2013) Basic research on the weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores. Proceedings of the 52nd Conference of Metallurgists (COM 2013), Metallurgical Society of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (MetSoc-CIM), Montreal, Canada, 189-199.Google Scholar
Chi, R., Zhang, Z., Xu, Z., He, Z. and Ruan, Y (2014) Novel solution injection technology for in-situ leach¬ing of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores. Proceedings of the 53rd Conference of Metallurgists (COM 2014), Metallurgical Society of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (MetSoc-CIM), Vancouver, Canada.Google Scholar
Coppin, F., Berger, G., Bauer, A., Castet, S. and Loubet, M. (2002) Sorption of Lanthanides on Smectite and Kaolinite. Chemical Geology, 182,57–68 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cotton, S. (2006) Lanthanide and Actinide Chemistry. John Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, UK.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
ERECON [European Rare Earths Competency Network] (2015) Strengthening of the european rare earths supply chain — challenges and policy options. http://ec. europa.eu/growth/sectors/raw-materials/specific interest/erecon/index_en.htm, accessed October 2015.Google Scholar
Gupta, C.K. and Krishnamurthy, N. (2005) Extractive Metallurgy of Rare Earths. CRC Press, New York, USA.Google Scholar
Hurst, C. (2010) China's rare earth elements industry: What can the west learn? Institute for the analysis of global security. http://www.iags.org/rareearth0310hurst. pdf, accessed October 2015.Google Scholar
Ishihara, S., Hua, R., Hoshino, M. and Murakami, H. (2008) REE abundance and REE minerals in granitic rocks in the Nanling range, Jiangxi province, Southern China, and generation of the REE-rich weathered crust deposits. Resource Geology, 58, 355—372 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kanazawa, Y and Kamitani, M. (2006) Rare earth minerals and resources in the world. Journal of Alloys and Compounds, 408, 1339–1343. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, C. (2011) The generalization and application of new technology on lixiviating the mineral at the original place for ionic rare earths. Non-Ferrous Metals Science and Engineering, 2, 63-67 [in Chinese with English abstract].Google Scholar
Luo, X., Ma, P., Luo, C., Chen, X., Feng, B. and Yan, Q. (2014) The effect of LPF on the leaching process of a weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore. Proceedings of the 53rd Conference of Metallurgists (COM 2014), Metallurgical Society of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (MetSoc-CIM), Vancouver, Canada.Google Scholar
Massari, S. and Ruberti, M. (2013) Rare earth elements as critical raw materials: Focus on international markets and future strategies. Resources Policy, 38,36—43 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meunier, A. (2005) Clays. Springer, Berlin.Google Scholar
Moldoveanu, G. and Papangelakis, V (2012) Recovery of rare earth elements adsorbed on clay minerals: I. Desorption mechanism. Hydrometallurgy, 117-118, 71–78.Google Scholar
Moldoveanu, G. and V Papangelakis, V (2013) Recovery of rare earth elements adsorbed on clay minerals: II. Leaching with ammonium sulphate. Hydrometallurgy, 131-132, 158–166.Google Scholar
Molycorp News Releases (2015a) Molycorp to move its Mountain Pass rare earth facility to “Care and Maintenance” mode. August 2015. http://www. molycorp.com/molycorp-to-move-its-mountain-pass-rare-earth-facility-to-care-and-maintenance-mode, accessed October 2015.Google Scholar
Molycorp News Releases (2015b) Molycorp, Inc. files Restructuring Plan. November 2015. http://www. molycorp.com/molycorp-inc-files-restructuring-plan, accessed October 2015.Google Scholar
Murakami, H. and Ishihara, S. (2008) REE mineralization of weathered crust and clay sediment on granitic rocks in the Sanyo Belt, SW Japan and the Southern Jiangxi Province, China. Resource Geology, 58, 373–01.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nieuwenhuize, J. and Poley-Vos, C.H. (1991) Comparison of microwave and conventional extraction techniques for the determination of metals in soil, sediment and sludge samples. Analyst, 116,347–351 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ohta, A. and Kawabe, I. (2001) REE(III) Adsorption onto Mn Dioxide (δ-MnO2) and Fe Oxyhidroxide: Ce(III) Oxidation by δ-MnO2. Geochimica and Cosmochimica Acta, 65, 695–703. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Piasecky, W. and Sverjensky, D.A. (2008) Speciation of adsorbed yttrium and rare earth elements on oxide surfaces. Geochimica and Cosmochimica Acta, 72, 2325–2334. Google Scholar
Rocha, A., Schissel, D., Sprecher, A., de Tarso, P. and Goode, J. (2013) Process development for the Serra Verde weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth deposit in Brazil. Proceedings of the 52rd Conference ofMetallurgists (COM2013), Metallurgical Society of the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum (MetSoc-CIM), Montreal, Canada.Google Scholar
Sanematsu, K., Kon, Y., Imai, A., Watanabe, K. and Watanabe, Y (2013) Geochemical and mineralogical characteristics of ion-adsorption type REE mineral-ization in Phuket, Thailand. Mineralium Deposita, 48, 437–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, S.R. and McClennan, S.M. (1985) The Continental Crust: Its Composition and Evolution. Blackwell, Oxford, UK.Google Scholar
Tian, J., Tang, X., Yin, J., Chen, J., Luo, X. and Rao, J. (2013) Enhanced leachability of a lean weathered crust elution-deposited rare-earth ore: effects of Sesbania gum filter-aid reagent. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions B, 44, 1070–1077. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
TRE Project (2014) Tantalus Rare Earth AG. http://www. tre-ag.com/operations/tre-project, accessed October 2014.Google Scholar
Velde, B. and Meunier, A. (2008) The Origin of Clay Minerals in Soils and Weathered Rocks. Springer, Berlin.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, X., Lei, Y., Ge, J. and Wu, S. (2015) Production forecast of China's rare earths based on the generalized Weng model and policy recommendations. Resources Policy, 43, 11–18. CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weng, Z., Jowitt, S., Mudd, G. and Haque, N. (2015) A detailed assessment of global rare earth element resources: opportunities and challenges. Economic Geology, 110,1925–1952 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wübbeke, J. (2013) Rare earth elements in China: Policies and narratives of reinventing an industry. Resources Policy, 38,384–394 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xiao, Y., Feng, Z., Huang, X., Huang, L., Chen, Y., Wang, L. and Long, Z. (2015a) Recovery of rare earths from weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore without ammonia-nitrogen pollution: I. Leaching with magnesium sulfate. Hydrometallurgy, 153, 58–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Xiao, Y., Liu, X., Feng, Z., Huang, X., Huang, L., Chen, Y. and Wu, W. (2015b) Role of minerals properties on leaching process of weathered crust elution deposited rare earth ore. Journal of Rare Earths, 33, 545–552.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yang, J.J., Lin, A., Li, X.L.,Wu, Y., Zhou,W. and Chen, Z. (2013) China’s ion-adsorption rare earth resources, mining consequences and preservation. Environmental Development, 8, 131–136 CrossRefGoogle Scholar