Characterization Inform Sustainable Recovery of Critical Minerals from Fossil Energy Waste Feedstocks
- NETL
- NETL Site Support Contractor, National Energy Technology Laboratory
Rare earth elements (REE) and other critical minerals (CM, e.g., Co, Ni, Li) have important uses in green energy and modern technologies, yet are vulnerable to potential supply chain disruptions. One potential domestic CM source is fossil energy wastes, such as acid mine drainage (AMD) and treatment solids (AMD solids), coal combustion ash, and Oil and Gas (O&G) drilling wastes (drill cuttings and produced waters). While they can contain lower CM concentrations then traditional ore, the quantity and fast availability as waste feedstock makes them a promising CM resource. To explore their promise, researchers at DOE’s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) have collected and analyzed CM data for aforementioned fossil energy wastes, and utilized advanced geochemical characterization (e.g., synchrotron microprobe and sequential extraction) to identify the CM speciation and binding environments, and developed sustainable and targeted CM recovery. Successful examples include: (1) the discovery of easily mobile REE phases in Ca-rich coal combustion ash and developing a patented REE recovery process from Ca-rich Powder River Basin coal ash; (2) the successful identification of REE/Co/Ni/Zn hosting phases in acid mine drainage treatment solids (AMD solids) with diverse chemical composition (Al, Mn, or Fe-rich) informing the sequential recovery of different REE/CMs from AMD solids; (3) the recovery potential of Li and other CMs in O&G produced waters and drill cuttings. The innovations driven by characterization have the potential to offset the cost of waste management and wastewater treatments while reducing the cost and environmental footprint of CM extraction.
- Research Organization:
- National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL), Pittsburgh, PA, Morgantown, WV, and Albany, OR (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM); USDOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM), Office of Resource Sustainability (FE-30)
- OSTI ID:
- 2500846
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Conference Name: 2024 Central Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) Location: Pittsburgh, PA, United States Start Date: 11/6/2024 12:00:00 AM End Date: 11/9/2024 12:00:00 AM
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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