Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T07:19:34.094Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Leaching behaviour of rare earth elements from low-grade weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore using magnesium sulfate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 August 2018

Kaihua Chen ,
Jiannan Pei ,
Shaohua Yin ,
Shiwei Li ,
Jinhui Peng  and
Libo Zhang
Kaihua Chen
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China Key Laboratory of Unconventional Metallurgy, Ministry of Education, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China National Local Joint Laboratory of Engineering Application of Microwave Energy and Equipment Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China
Jiannan Pei
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China Key Laboratory of Unconventional Metallurgy, Ministry of Education, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China National Local Joint Laboratory of Engineering Application of Microwave Energy and Equipment Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China
Shaohua Yin*
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China Key Laboratory of Unconventional Metallurgy, Ministry of Education, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China National Local Joint Laboratory of Engineering Application of Microwave Energy and Equipment Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China
Shiwei Li
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China Key Laboratory of Unconventional Metallurgy, Ministry of Education, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China National Local Joint Laboratory of Engineering Application of Microwave Energy and Equipment Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China
Jinhui Peng
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China Key Laboratory of Unconventional Metallurgy, Ministry of Education, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China National Local Joint Laboratory of Engineering Application of Microwave Energy and Equipment Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China
Libo Zhang
Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Complex Nonferrous Metal Resources Clean Utilization, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China Faculty of Metallurgical and Energy Engineering, Kunming University of Science and Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China Key Laboratory of Unconventional Metallurgy, Ministry of Education, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China National Local Joint Laboratory of Engineering Application of Microwave Energy and Equipment Technology, Kunming, Yunnan 650093, China
*
*E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The present study investigates the use of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) instead of (NH4)2SO4 as a lixiviant in the recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from clays. Experiments were carried out to investigate the influence of leaching conditions such as leaching time, lixiviant concentration and liquid:solid ratio on the leaching efficiency. The optimum leaching conditions, leading to 75.48% of total REE leaching efficiency, required a stirring speed of 500 rpm, a leaching time of 30 min, a lixiviant concentration of 3 wt.% and a liquid:solid ratio of 3:1. After extension of the leaching process by a second stage, the leaching efficiency may reach up to 96.19%, which is slightly higher than that obtained by (NH4)2SO4. Leaching varies from element to element, with Ce presenting the lowest leaching efficiency, and the partition in leaching solution is in agreement with that in raw ore other than for Ce. Based on these findings, MgSO4 lixiviant is an excellent alternative leaching agent for a sustainable REE industry because it reduces or eliminates NH4+–N pollution.

Keywords

rare earth elementsleaching efficiencylixiviantMgSO4ammonia–nitrogen
Type
Article
Information
Clay Minerals , Volume 53 , Issue 3 , September 2018 , pp. 505 - 514
Copyright
Copyright © Mineralogical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 2018 

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.)

Footnotes

Associate Editor: J. Huertas

References

REFERENCES

Ai, J., Tao, D.G. & Li, S.Z. (2001) Direct determination of rare earth elements in geochemical samples by ICP-AES. Journal of Wuhan Institute of Chemical Technology, 23, 18–20 (in Chinese).Google Scholar
Aja, S.U. (1998) The sorption of the rare earth element, Nd, onto kaolinite at 25°C. Clays and Clay Minerals, 46, 103–109.Google Scholar
Bai, Y.L., Jin, J.Y. & Yang, L.P. (2004) Study on the content and distribution of soil available magnesium and foreground of magnesium fertilizer in China. Soils & Fertilizers, 2, 3–5 (in Chinese).Google Scholar
Bard, A.J., Parsons, R. & Jordan, J., editors (1985) Standard Potentials in Aqueous Solution. Marcel Dekker, New York, NY, USA.Google Scholar
Binnemans, K., Jones, P.T., Blanpain, B., Gerven, T.V., Yang, Y., Walton, A. & Buchert, M. (2013) Recycling of rare earths: a critical review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 51, 1–22.Google Scholar
Bruque, S. (1980) Factors influencing retention of lanthanide ions by montmorillonite. Clay Minerals, 15, 413–420.Google Scholar
Castor, S.B. (2008) Rare earth deposits of North America. Resource Geology, 58, 337–347.Google Scholar
Chi, R.A., Tian, J., Li, Z.J., Peng, C., Wu, Y.X., Li, S.R., Wang, C.W. & Zhou, Z.A. (2005) Existing state and partitioning of rare earth on weathered ores. Journal of Rare Earths, 23, 756–759.Google Scholar
Chi, R.A. & Tian, J., editors (2008) Weathered Crust Elution-Deposited Rare Earth Ores. Nova Science Publishers, New York, NY, USA.Google Scholar
de Carvalho, R.G. & Choppin, G.R. (1967) Lanthanide and actinide sulfate complexes. II. Determination of thermodynamic parameters. Journal of Inorganic & Nuclear Chemistry, 29, 737–743.Google Scholar
Dołęgowska, S. & Migaszewski, Z.M. (2013) Anomalous concentrations of rare earth elements in the moss–soil system from south-central Poland. Environmental Pollution, 178, 33–40.Google Scholar
Huang, R.P., Zhong, Y.M., Wu, Y.X., Ling, W.D. & Xu, X. (2008) A Method of Leaching and Removing Impurity Precipitation from Ionic Type Rare-Earth Ore. Chinese Patent number: 200810175912.7 (in Chinese).Google Scholar
Huang, X.W., Long, Z.Q., Li, H.W., Ying, W.J., Zhang, G.C. & Xue, X.X. (2005) Development of rare earth hydrometallurgy technology in China. Journal of Rare Earths, 23, 1–4.Google Scholar
Huang, X.W., Yu, Y., Feng, Z.Y. & Zhao, N. (2013) A Method of Extracting Rare Earth Using Leaching Agent from Weathered Crust Elution-Deposited Rare Earth. Chinese Patent number: 201310481335.5 (in Chinese).Google Scholar
Jiang, Z.X., Shen, J.Q. & Song, Z.X., editors (1992) Ion Exchange Separation Engineering. Tianjin University Press, Tianjin, China (in Chinese).Google Scholar
Kanazawa, Y. & Kamitani, M. (2006) Rare earth minerals and resources in the world. Journal of Alloys & Compounds, 408–412, 1339–1343.Google Scholar
Kul, M., Topkaya, Y. & Karakaya, I. (2008) Rare earth double sulfates from pre-concentrated bastnasite. Hydrometallurgy, 93, 129–135.Google Scholar
Liu, X., Gan, Q. & Feng, C. (2016) Synthesis, characterization and biological activity of 5-fluorouracil derivatives of rare earth (Gd, Dy, Er) substituted phosphotungstate. Inorganica Chimica Acta, 450, 299–303.Google Scholar
Ma, R.J., editor (2007) Principle on Hydrometallurgy. Metallurgical Industry Press, Beijing, China.Google Scholar
Meng, Z., Jia, Z.W. & Wei, Y. (2004) Preparation and FTIR spectra of amorphous δ-FeOOH. The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering, 4, 146–149 (in Chinese).Google Scholar
Millero, F.J. (1992) Stability constants for the formation of rare earth–inorganic complexes as a function of ionic strength. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 56, 3123–3132.Google Scholar
Moldoveanu, G.A. & Papangelakis, V.G. (2012) Recovery of rare earth elements adsorbed on clay minerals: I. Desorption mechanism. Hydrometallurgy, 117–118, 71–78.Google Scholar
Morais, C.A. & Ciminelli, V.S.T. (2004) Process development for the recovery of high-grade lanthanum by solvent extractiaon. Hydrometallurgy, 73, 237–244.Google Scholar
Qiu, T.S., Luo, X.P., Fang, X.H., Hu, J.L., Cheng, X.X. & Hao, Z.W. (2002) A new technology intensified by magnetic field for leaching of the weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores. Multipurpose Utilization of Mineral Resources, 5, 14–16 (in Chinese).Google Scholar
Qiu, T.S., Zhu, D.M., Fang, X.H., Zeng, Q.H., Gao, G.K. & Zhu, H.L. (2014) Leaching kinetics of ionic rare-earth in ammonia–nitrogen wastewater system added with impurity inhibitors. Journal of Rare Earths, 32, 1175–1182.Google Scholar
Schaeffer, N., Grimes, S. & Cheeseman, C. (2016) Interactions between trivalent rare earth oxides and mixed [Hbet][Tf2N]:H2O systems in the development of a one-step process for the separation of light from heavy rare earth elements. Inorganica Chimica Acta, 439, 55–60.Google Scholar
Song, J.L., Cui, J.Q., Wu, C., Yang, G. & Zhang, C. (2016) Synthesis, crystal structures and luminescence properties of rare earth–cadmium hydroxycarbonates with the formula RE2Cd(CO3)(OH)6 (RE = Y, Er). Inorganica Chimica Acta, 444, 217–220.Google Scholar
Tian, J., Tang, X.K., Yin, J.Q., Luo, X.P., Rao, G.H. & Jiang, M.T. (2013a) Process optimization on leaching of a lean weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores. International Journal of Mineral Processing, 119, 83–88.Google Scholar
Tian, J., Yin, J.Q., Tang, X.K., Chen, J., Luo, X.P. & Rao, G.H. (2013b) Enhanced leaching process of a low-grade weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore with carboxymethyl sesbania gum. Hydrometallurgy, 139, 124–131.Google Scholar
Weng, Z.H., Haque, N., Mudd, G.M. & Jowitt, S.M. (2016) Assessing the energy requirements and global warming potential of the production of rare earth elements. Journal of Cleaner Production, 139, 1282–1297.Google Scholar
Wood, S.A. (1990) The aqueous geochemistry of the rare-earth elements and yttrium: 1. Review of available low-temperature data for inorganic complexes and the inorganic REE speciation of natural waters. Chemical Geology, 82, 159–186.Google Scholar
Xiao, Y.F., Chen, Y.Y., Feng, Z.Y., Huang, X.W., Huang, L., Long, Z.Q. & Cui, D.L. (2015) Leaching characteristics of ion-adsorption type rare earths ore with magnesium sulfate. Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China, 25, 3784–3790.Google Scholar
Yang, X.J., Lin, A.J., Li, X.L., Wu, Y.D., Zhou, W.B. & Chen, Z.H. (2013) China's ion-adsorption rare earth resources, mining consequences and preservation. Environmental Development, 8, 131–136.Google Scholar
Yang, X.L. & Zhang, J.W. (2015) Recovery of rare earth from ion-adsorption rare earth ores with a compound lixiviant. Separation and Purification Technology, 142, 203–208.Google Scholar