Parametric study of an acid baking process for rare earth element recovery from a bituminous-coal source

Nawab, Ahmad; Yang, Xinbo; Honaker, Rick Q.

doi:10.1080/19392699.2023.2269094

Title: Parametric study of an acid baking process for rare earth element recovery from a bituminous-coal source

Journal Article · Fri Oct 13 00:00:00 UTC 2023 · International Journal of Coal Preparation and Utilization

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/19392699.2023.2269094 · OSTI ID:2479151

^[1]; Yang, Xinbo ^[2];

^[1]

University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States)
University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)

Acid baking treatment is widely used to extract rare earth elements (REEs) from refractory rare earth bearing minerals such as monazite and xenotime. Since these REE minerals have been identified in coal-based sources, a parametric study was conducted to evaluate the impact and optimize the parametric values associated with the acid-baking process when treating a bituminous coal source. The parameters studied using a three-level statistical experimental program were acid baking time, acid solution concentration, baking temperature, and acid solution-to-solids ratio and each were found to significantly impact REE and contaminant element recovery. An increase in baking temperature up to around 250°C improved the light and heavy REE recovery values by more than 50 absolute percentage points relative to performances achieved when direct leaching. Acid baking was needed to dehydroxylate the clays and liberate the REE minerals, which allowed access for the acid to solubilize the REEs. Acid concentration of the solution used for acid baking was studied as a means of minimizing the amount of acid needed to achieve a target REE recovery. However, thermo-gravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry analysis (TGA-DSC) of sulfuric acid under oxidizing atmosphere revealed that the addition of water decreased the evaporation temperature, which explains the lower REE recovery values obtained when using lower acid concentrations. Using pure sulfuric acid at an acid-to-solid ratio of 0.8:1 resulted in recovery values of around 70% for both LREEs and HREEs. The decomposition reaction time was relatively quick with 65% of the TREEs recovered within the first 10 minutes. Water leaching experiments performed on the acid-baked products under a temperature of 25°C instead of 75°C revealed an increase in REE recovery by 10 absolute percentage points, which was likely due to the high solubility of REE-sulfates at room temperatures.

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Research Organization:: University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM)

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0031827

OSTI ID:: 2479151

Journal Information:: International Journal of Coal Preparation and Utilization, Journal Name: International Journal of Coal Preparation and Utilization Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 44; ISSN 1939-2699

Publisher:: Taylor & FrancisCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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