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Current and Alternative Routes in the Production of Rare Earth Elements

Aktuelle und alternative Routen bei der Herstellung von Metallen der Seltenen Erden

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Abstract

Rare Earth Elements (REE) are essential in the day to day life both in developed and developing countries worldwide. Due to their catalytic, magnetic, electrical, chemical, heat resistance, and optical properties, they are used in a wide range of high-tech, high value-added, and fast-growing sectors. The current state-of-the-art processes for REE extraction follows complicated, energy and resource intensive technologies, including a beneficiation stage for the production of a RE-rich concentrate, leaching/purification/separation into individual high purity RE solutions, precipitation as individual RE compounds, and finally production of RE metals or alloys through metallothermic reduction or fused-salt electrowinning. Currently, China is the main REE market player, dominating production, demand, and exports. Novel, cost-effective, and resource-efficient REE extraction processes are currently under development tailored specifically for European REE primary and secondary deposits and for European health, safety, and environmental standards, under the EURARE project. This paper analyses the currently used processing technologies for REE production, identifies problems and technical challenges associated with them, and examines the prospects of establishing novel technologies for an efficient and economically viable REE production from European REE deposits. The results are presented on a promising new technology for extracting REE from secondary resources using ionic liquids. REE extraction yield of 60–80% with respective Fe extraction less than 3% has been already achieved.

Zusammenfassung

Seltene Erden (SE) sind im täglichen Leben sowohl in den Industrieländern als auch in den Entwicklungsländern weltweit wichtig. Aufgrund ihrer katalytischen, magnetischen, elektrischen, chemischen, hitzebeständigen und optischen Eigenschaften werden sie in einer breiten Palette von Hightech‑, Hochwert- und schnell wachsenden Sektoren eingesetzt. Die neuesten Prozesse für die SE-Extraktion folgen komplizierten, energie- und ressourcenintensiven Technologien, einschließlich einer Veredelungssstufe für die Produktion eines SE-reichen Konzentrats, Auslaugung/Reinigung/Trennung in einzelne hochreine SE-Lösungen, Niederschlag als einzelne SE-Verbindungen und schließlich die Produktion von SE-Metallen oder Legierungen durch metallotherme Reduktion oder Salzschmelzflusselektrolyse. Derzeit ist China der wichtigste Akteur am SE-Markt, der die Produktion, die Nachfrage und den Export dominiert. Neue, kostengünstige und ressourceneffiziente SE-Extraktionsprozesse werden derzeit im Rahmen des EURARE-Projekts speziell für die europäischen SE-Primär- und Sekundärlagerstätten und für europäische Gesundheits‑, Sicherheits- und Umweltstandards entwickelt. Dieser Beitrag analysiert die aktuell eingesetzten Verarbeitungstechnologien für die SE-Produktion, identifiziert Probleme und technische Herausforderungen, die mit ihnen verbunden sind, und untersucht die Perspektiven, um neue Technologien für eine effiziente und wirtschaftlich lebensfähige SE-Produktion aus europäischen SE-Deponien zu etablieren. Die Ergebnisse einer vielversprechenden neuen Technologie zur Extraktion von SE aus sekundären Ressourcen mit ionischen Flüssigkeiten werden präsentiert. Eine REE-Extraktionsausbeute von 60–80 % bei einer entsprechenden Fe-Extraktion von weniger als 3 % wurde bereits erreicht.

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Acknowledgements

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n°309373. This publication reflects only the author’s view, exempting the Community from any liability. Project web site: www.eurare.eu

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  1. School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 9 Heroon Polytechneiou str., 15780, Athens, Greece

    P. Davris, E. Balomenos, M. Taxiarchou, D. Panias & I. Paspaliaris

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  1. P. Davris
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  2. E. Balomenos
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  3. M. Taxiarchou
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  4. D. Panias
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  5. I. Paspaliaris
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Correspondence to E. Balomenos.

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Davris, P., Balomenos, E., Taxiarchou, M. et al. Current and Alternative Routes in the Production of Rare Earth Elements. Berg Huettenmaenn Monatsh 162, 245–251 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00501-017-0610-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00501-017-0610-y

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