Effects of roasting additives and leaching parameters on the extraction of rare earth elements from coal fly ash

Taggart, Ross K.; Hower, James C.; Hsu-Kim, Heileen

doi:10.1016/j.coal.2018.06.021

Title: Effects of roasting additives and leaching parameters on the extraction of rare earth elements from coal fly ash

Journal Article · Sat Jun 30 00:00:00 EDT 2018 · International Journal of Coal Geology

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coal.2018.06.021· OSTI ID:1526009

Taggart, Ross K. ^[1]; Hower, James C. ^[2];

^[1]

Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States). Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Univ. of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (United States). Center for Applied Energy Research

Coal fly ash is a promising alternative source for rare earth elements (REE), which are critical materials in many technologies. REEs are entrained in the aluminosilicate glass of the fly ash particles, hindering their ability to solubilize during acid leaching. The purpose of this research was to test the effectiveness of roasting techniques to improve extraction of REEs from fly ash, determine key parameters controlling REE extraction, and understand trade-offs in reagent use. Representative coal ash samples from major U.S. coal basins (Appalachian, Illinois, and Powder River basins) were roasted using a variety of chemical additives (Na₂O₂, NaOH, CaO, Na₂CO₃, CaSO₄, (NH₄)₂SO₄). Further experiments investigated the effects of additive:ash ratio, roasting temperature, and leachate pH on REE extraction. We found here that NaOH roasting often recovered >90% of total REE content, equivalent to the USGS-recommended method (Na₂O₂ sintering). Other additives tested recovered <50% of total REE content; the 450 °C sinter temperature, which was well below the melting points of these agents, may have been a contributing factor. Decreasing the NaOH-ash ratio did not significantly inhibit in REE recoveries, while increasing the leachate pH led to a sharp decline. There was a strong positive correlation between REE extraction and leachate H⁺ molarity. Recoveries of ~100% were observed for the Powder River Basin ash sample regardless of the roasting agent and additive:ash ratio used. This suggests that acid leaching alone is sufficient for recovering REEs from more soluble Powder River Basin ashes. For Appalachian and Illinois Basin ashes, the recommended roasting conditions for >70% REE extraction are a 1:1 NaOH-ash ratio and leaching with 1–2 mol/L HNO₃.

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Research Organization:: Duke Univ., Durham, NC (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Fossil Energy (FE); National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: FE0026952; CBET-1510965; CBET-1510861; OISE-1243433

OSTI ID:: 1526009

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1542510

Journal Information:: International Journal of Coal Geology, Vol. 196; ISSN 0166-5162

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 66 works

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01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
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Title: Effects of roasting additives and leaching parameters on the extraction of rare earth elements from coal fly ash

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