Journal
HYDROMETALLURGY
Volume 175, Issue -, Pages 20-27Publisher
ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV
DOI: 10.1016/j.hydromet.2017.10.031
Keywords
Rodberg; Rare earth; Ionic liquids; HbetTf2N; Fen carbonatite
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Funding
- European Community's Seventh Framework Programme [309373]
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In this study, the ionic liquid betainium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide (HBetTf2N), has been applied directly as a leaching agent on a low-grade rare earth element (REE) ore called Ithdberg, from the Fen carbonatite complex ore deposit located in Norway. REE in Rodberg are mainly present in the form of fluoro-carbonates of bastnasite group minerals. Factors studied during leaching were water ratio into ionic liquid, leaching temperature, pulp density (%w/v) and retention time. Leaching of Rodberg ore with HbetTf2N resulted to 65-100% recovery of light REE and 40-60% recovery of heavy REE. Additionally > 80-90% of Ca and Mg content dissolves, whereas the HbetTf2N is selective against iron and silicon resulting in a Fe/Si rich residue. The metals dissolved into HbetTf2N after leaching are stripped with an aqueous acidic solution, regenerating the ionic liquid for reuse. Through acid stripping, REE concentration is doubled in the aqueous acidic solution, for further purification. The carboxylic acid functional group attached to the cation side of HbetTf2N is capable of dissolving bastnasite thus enabling the development of new alternative methods for treating low-grade REE primary resources.
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