Journal of Nuclear Science, Engineering and Technology (JONSAT)
In cooperation with the Iranian Nuclear Society

Investigating the effective parameters on the recovery of rare earth elements from Chahgaz ore using acid washing process

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

M. Rezaee

Nuclear Fuel Cycle Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute, AEOI, P.O.Box: 11365-8486, Tehran - Iran

https://doi.org/10.24200/nst.2024.1655.2048
Abstract
 
In this research, the recovery of rare earth elements from Chahgaz ore has been investigated through an acid leaching process. The effect of different parameters on the dissolution of rare earth elements was also explored. The results indicated that factors such as acid concentration, leaching temperature, ore particle size, liquid to solid ratio, and leaching time are crucial in recovering rare earth elements from the ore. Specifically, the recovery percentage of rare earth elements in sulfuric acid was found to be higher compared to other acids. Increasing the temperature to 85 degrees Celsius was observed to accelerate the leaching reaction and enhance the recovery of rare earth elements. Moreover, increasing the liquid to solid ratio up to 2 led to improved contact between the solid and liquid phases, as excess acid in the reaction medium facilitated a higher leaching rate of rare earth elements. Optimal conditions for the leaching process were determined to be a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius, a leaching time of 6 hours, a sulfuric acid concentration of 1.5 M, a liquid to solid ratio of 2, and a particle size of 150 microns. Under these conditions, a recovery percentage of 95% for rare earth elements from Chahgaz ore was achieved.

Highlights

  1. De Lima L.B, Filho W.L. Rare Earths Industry; Technological, Economic, and Environmental Implications. Elsevier. 2016.

 

  1. Alonso E, Sherman A.M, Wallington T.J, Everson M.P, Field F.R, Roth R, Kirchain R.E. Evaluating rare earth element availability: A case with revolutionary demand from clean technologies. Environmental science and technology. 2012;46:3406-3414.

 

  1. Gupta C.K, Krishnamurthy N. Extractive Metallurgy of Rare Earths. Book. 2005.

 

  1. Jha A.R. Rare earth materials; properties and applications. CRC press, Taylor and Francis Group. 2014.

 

  1. Voncken J.H.L. The rare earth elements; an introduction. Springer Briefs in earth sciences. 2016.

 

  1. Gupta C.K, Krishnamurthy N. Extractive metallurgy of rare earths. CRC PRESS. 2005.

 

  1. Zhang J, Zhao B, Schreiner B. Separation Hydrometallurgy of Rare Earth Elements. Book. 2016.

 

  1. Wang D, Chi R. Rare earth processing and extraction technology. Scientific Press, Beijing, China. 1996.

 

  1. Xie F, Zhang T, Dreisinger D, Doyle F. A critical review on solvent extraction of rare earths from aqueous solutions. Minerals Engineering. 2014;56:10–28.

 

  1. Page M.J, Soldenhoff K, Ogden M.D. Comparative study of the application of chelating resins for rare earth recovery. Hydrometallurgy. 2017;169:275–281.

 

  1. Zhang W, Feng D, Xie X, Tong X, DU Y, Cao Y. Solvent extraction and separation of light rare earths from chloride media using HDEHP-P350 system. Journal of Rare Earths. 2022;40:328-337.

 

  1. Honaker R.Q, Zhang W, Werner J. Acid leaching of rare earth elements from coal and coal ash: implications for using fluidized bed combustion to assist in the recovery of critical materials. Energy Fuels. 2019;33:5971−5980.

 

  1. Peelman S, Sun Z.H.I, Sietsma J, Yang Y. Book Rare Earths Industry, Chapter 12, Leaching of rare earth elements: Review of past and present technologies. Elsevier. 2016.

 

  1. Canovas C.R, Chapron S, Arrachart G, Pellet-Rostaing S. Leaching of rare earth elements (REEs) and impurities from phosphogypsum: A preliminary insight for further recovery of critical raw materials. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019;219:225-235.

 

  1. Walawalkar M, Nichol C.K, Azimi G. Process investigation of the acid leaching of rare earth elements from phosphogypsum using HCl, HNO3, and H2SO4. Hydrometallurgy. 2016;166:195-204.

 

  1. Shen L, Chen J, Chen L, Liu C, Zhang D, Zhang Y, Su W, Yuefeng Deng Y. Extraction of mid-heavy rare earth metal ions from sulphuric acid media by ionic liquid [A336][P507]. Hydrometallurgy. 2016;161:152-159.

 

  1. Guan Q, Sui Y, Liu C, Wang Y, Zeng C, Yu W, Gao Z, Zang Z, Chi R. Characterization and leaching kinetics of rare earth elements from phosphogypsum in hydrochloric acid. Minerals. 2022;703:1-18.

 

  1. Rao Borra C, Pontikes Y, Binnemans K, Van Gerven T. Leaching of rare earths from bauxite residue (red mud). Minerals Engineering. 2015;76:20-27.

 

  1. Walawalkar M, Nichol C.K, Azimi G. Process investigation of the acid leaching of rare earth elements from phosphogypsum using HCl, HNO3, and H2SO4. Hydrometallurgy. 2016;166:195-204.

 

  1. Lim H, Ibana D, Eksteen J. Leaching of rare earths from fine-grained zirconosilicate ore. Journal of Rare Earths. 2016;34:908-916.

 

  1. Ziapour S. Petrology and geochemistry of iron and rare earth elements in the Chahgaz iron deposit (Central Iran). PhD thesis in geology, petrology. 2011 [In Persian].

 

  1. Zhang Q, Saito F. Non-thermal process for extracting rare earths from bastnaesite by means of mechanochemical treatment. Hydrometallurgy. 1998;47:231-241.

 

  1. Trisnawati I, Prameswara G, Mulyono P, Prasetya A, Murti Petrus H.T.B. Sulfuric acid leaching of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) from Indonesian zircon tailing. International Journal of Technology. 2020;11:804-816.

 

  1. Rosita W, Bendiyasa I.M, Perdana I, Anggara F. Recovery of rare earth elements and Yttrium from Indonesia coal fly ash using sulphuric acid leaching. AIP Conference Proceeding. 2020;2223:050004. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0000836.

 

  1. Whitty-Leveille L, Reynier N, Lariviere D. Rapid and selective leaching of actinides and rare earth elements from rare earth-bearing minerals and ores. Hydrometallurgy. 2018;177:187-196.

 

  1. Kim C.J, Yoon H.S, Chung K.W, Lee J.Y, Kim S.D, Shin S.M. Leaching kinetics of lanthanum in sulfuric acid from rare earth element (REE) slag. Hydrometallurgy. 2014;146:133–137.

 

  1. Kumari A, Panda R, Jha M.K, Lee J.K, Kumar J.R, Kumar V. Thermal treatment for the separation of phosphate and recovery of rare earth metals (REMs) from Korean monazite. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. 2014;21:696–703.

 

  1. Chusnun Niam A, Ya-Fen W, Shyh-Wei C, Sheng-Jie Y. Recovery of rare earth elements from waste permanent magnet (WPMs) via selective leaching using the Taguchi method. Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. 2019;97:137–145.

 

  1. Yang X, Honaker R.Q. Leaching kinetics of rare earth elements from fire clay seam coal. Minerals. 2020;491:1-17.

Keywords

Rare earth elements
Leaching
Chahgaz ore
  1. De Lima L.B, Filho W.L. Rare Earths Industry; Technological, Economic, and Environmental Implications. Elsevier. 2016.

 

  1. Alonso E, Sherman A.M, Wallington T.J, Everson M.P, Field F.R, Roth R, Kirchain R.E. Evaluating rare earth element availability: A case with revolutionary demand from clean technologies. Environmental science and technology. 2012;46:3406-3414.

 

  1. Gupta C.K, Krishnamurthy N. Extractive Metallurgy of Rare Earths. Book. 2005.

 

  1. Jha A.R. Rare earth materials; properties and applications. CRC press, Taylor and Francis Group. 2014.

 

  1. Voncken J.H.L. The rare earth elements; an introduction. Springer Briefs in earth sciences. 2016.

 

  1. Gupta C.K, Krishnamurthy N. Extractive metallurgy of rare earths. CRC PRESS. 2005.

 

  1. Zhang J, Zhao B, Schreiner B. Separation Hydrometallurgy of Rare Earth Elements. Book. 2016.

 

  1. Wang D, Chi R. Rare earth processing and extraction technology. Scientific Press, Beijing, China. 1996.

 

  1. Xie F, Zhang T, Dreisinger D, Doyle F. A critical review on solvent extraction of rare earths from aqueous solutions. Minerals Engineering. 2014;56:10–28.

 

  1. Page M.J, Soldenhoff K, Ogden M.D. Comparative study of the application of chelating resins for rare earth recovery. Hydrometallurgy. 2017;169:275–281.

 

  1. Zhang W, Feng D, Xie X, Tong X, DU Y, Cao Y. Solvent extraction and separation of light rare earths from chloride media using HDEHP-P350 system. Journal of Rare Earths. 2022;40:328-337.

 

  1. Honaker R.Q, Zhang W, Werner J. Acid leaching of rare earth elements from coal and coal ash: implications for using fluidized bed combustion to assist in the recovery of critical materials. Energy Fuels. 2019;33:5971−5980.

 

  1. Peelman S, Sun Z.H.I, Sietsma J, Yang Y. Book Rare Earths Industry, Chapter 12, Leaching of rare earth elements: Review of past and present technologies. Elsevier. 2016.

 

  1. Canovas C.R, Chapron S, Arrachart G, Pellet-Rostaing S. Leaching of rare earth elements (REEs) and impurities from phosphogypsum: A preliminary insight for further recovery of critical raw materials. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2019;219:225-235.

 

  1. Walawalkar M, Nichol C.K, Azimi G. Process investigation of the acid leaching of rare earth elements from phosphogypsum using HCl, HNO3, and H2SO4. Hydrometallurgy. 2016;166:195-204.

 

  1. Shen L, Chen J, Chen L, Liu C, Zhang D, Zhang Y, Su W, Yuefeng Deng Y. Extraction of mid-heavy rare earth metal ions from sulphuric acid media by ionic liquid [A336][P507]. Hydrometallurgy. 2016;161:152-159.

 

  1. Guan Q, Sui Y, Liu C, Wang Y, Zeng C, Yu W, Gao Z, Zang Z, Chi R. Characterization and leaching kinetics of rare earth elements from phosphogypsum in hydrochloric acid. Minerals. 2022;703:1-18.

 

  1. Rao Borra C, Pontikes Y, Binnemans K, Van Gerven T. Leaching of rare earths from bauxite residue (red mud). Minerals Engineering. 2015;76:20-27.

 

  1. Walawalkar M, Nichol C.K, Azimi G. Process investigation of the acid leaching of rare earth elements from phosphogypsum using HCl, HNO3, and H2SO4. Hydrometallurgy. 2016;166:195-204.

 

  1. Lim H, Ibana D, Eksteen J. Leaching of rare earths from fine-grained zirconosilicate ore. Journal of Rare Earths. 2016;34:908-916.

 

  1. Ziapour S. Petrology and geochemistry of iron and rare earth elements in the Chahgaz iron deposit (Central Iran). PhD thesis in geology, petrology. 2011 [In Persian].

 

  1. Zhang Q, Saito F. Non-thermal process for extracting rare earths from bastnaesite by means of mechanochemical treatment. Hydrometallurgy. 1998;47:231-241.

 

  1. Trisnawati I, Prameswara G, Mulyono P, Prasetya A, Murti Petrus H.T.B. Sulfuric acid leaching of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) from Indonesian zircon tailing. International Journal of Technology. 2020;11:804-816.

 

  1. Rosita W, Bendiyasa I.M, Perdana I, Anggara F. Recovery of rare earth elements and Yttrium from Indonesia coal fly ash using sulphuric acid leaching. AIP Conference Proceeding. 2020;2223:050004. https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0000836.

 

  1. Whitty-Leveille L, Reynier N, Lariviere D. Rapid and selective leaching of actinides and rare earth elements from rare earth-bearing minerals and ores. Hydrometallurgy. 2018;177:187-196.

 

  1. Kim C.J, Yoon H.S, Chung K.W, Lee J.Y, Kim S.D, Shin S.M. Leaching kinetics of lanthanum in sulfuric acid from rare earth element (REE) slag. Hydrometallurgy. 2014;146:133–137.

 

  1. Kumari A, Panda R, Jha M.K, Lee J.K, Kumar J.R, Kumar V. Thermal treatment for the separation of phosphate and recovery of rare earth metals (REMs) from Korean monazite. Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry. 2014;21:696–703.

 

  1. Chusnun Niam A, Ya-Fen W, Shyh-Wei C, Sheng-Jie Y. Recovery of rare earth elements from waste permanent magnet (WPMs) via selective leaching using the Taguchi method. Journal of the Taiwan Institute of Chemical Engineers. 2019;97:137–145.

 

  1. Yang X, Honaker R.Q. Leaching kinetics of rare earth elements from fire clay seam coal. Minerals. 2020;491:1-17.

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