Mine drainage: Treatment technologies and rare earth elements

Wei, Xinchao; Zhang, Shicheng; Shimko, Jonathan; Dengler, Robert W.

doi:10.1002/wer.1178

Cited by 25 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 77 publications

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“…Due to the much higher economic values of REEs relative to the major metals such as iron and aluminum present in AMD, several studies regarding REE recovery from AMD have been reported recently [9,10,12,22,124,[141][142][143][144]. In one of our prior studies [10], staged precipitation tests were performed on a coal mine drainage (6.14 ppm of REEs), and a REE pre-concentrate containing 1.1% of REEs was produced in the pH range of 4.85-6.11.…”

Section: Ree Recovery From Acid Mine Drainagementioning

confidence: 99%

A Comprehensive Review of Rare Earth Elements Recovery from Coal-Related Materials

et al. 2020

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Many studies have been published in recent years focusing on the recovery of rare earth elements (REEs) from coal-related materials, including coal, coal refuse, coal mine drainage, and coal combustion byproducts particularly fly ash. The scientific basis and technology development have been supported by coal geologists and extractive metallurgists, and through these efforts, the concept has progressed from feasibility assessment to pilot-scale production over the last five years. Physical beneficiation, acid leaching, ion-exchange leaching, bio-leaching, thermal treatment, alkali treatment, solvent extraction, and other recovery technologies have been evaluated with varying degrees of success depending on the feedstock properties. In general, physical beneficiation can be a suitable low-cost option for preliminary upgrading; however, most studies showed exceedingly low recovery values unless ultrafine grinding was first performed. This finding is largely attributed to the combination of small RE-bearing mineral particle size and complex REE mineralogy in coal-based resources. Alternatively, direct chemical extraction by acid was able to produce moderate recovery values, and the inclusion of leaching additives, alkaline pretreatment, and/or thermal pretreatment considerably improved the process performance. The studies reviewed in this article revealed two major pilot plants where these processes have been successfully deployed along with suitable solution purification technologies to continuously produce high-grade mixed rare earth products (as high as +95%) from coal-based resources. This article presents a systematic review of the recovery methods, testing outcomes, and separation mechanisms that are involved in REE extraction from coal-related materials. The most recent findings regarding the modes of occurrence of REEs in coal-related materials are also included.

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Section: Ree Recovery From Acid Mine Drainagementioning

confidence: 99%

A Comprehensive Review of Rare Earth Elements Recovery from Coal-Related Materials

et al. 2020

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Section: Ree Recovery From Acid Mine Drainagementioning

confidence: 99%

Leaching of Rare Earth Elements from Various Sources

2021

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“…For instance, elevated As levels in high-alkalinity drainage have been mostly attributed to the oxidation of arsenopyrite or As-bearing pyrite that had been neutralized [137,138] but may also originate from natively As-rich carbonate phases in the absence of Fe-oxides [128]. With the increased interest in the development of rare earth element (REE) mines, there is an increasing interest in REE geochemistry and ecotoxicity [139][140][141]. REE-bearing minerals can be found in many different geological settings (although not necessarily at economic concentrations), and REEs can be found as trace contaminants in other minerals.…”

Section: The Geochemistry Of Neutral Drainagementioning

confidence: 99%

Mine Waste Rock: Insights for Sustainable Hydrogeochemical Management

et al. 2020

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Mismanagement of mine waste rock can mobilize acidity, metal (loid)s, and other contaminants, and thereby negatively affect downstream environments. Hence, strategic long-term planning is required to prevent and mitigate deleterious environmental impacts. Technical frameworks to support waste-rock management have existed for decades and typically combine static and kinetic testing, field-scale experiments, and sometimes reactive-transport models. Yet, the design and implementation of robust long-term solutions remains challenging to date, due to site-specificity in the generated waste rock and local weathering conditions, physicochemical heterogeneity in large-scale systems, and the intricate coupling between chemical kinetics and mass- and heat-transfer processes. This work reviews recent advances in our understanding of the hydrogeochemical behavior of mine waste rock, including improved laboratory testing procedures, innovative analytical techniques, multi-scale field investigations, and reactive-transport modeling. Remaining knowledge-gaps pertaining to the processes involved in mine waste weathering and their parameterization are identified. Practical and sustainable waste-rock management decisions can to a large extent be informed by evidence-based simplification of complex waste-rock systems and through targeted quantification of a limited number of physicochemical parameters. Future research on the key (bio)geochemical processes and transport dynamics in waste-rock piles is essential to further optimize management and minimize potential negative environmental impacts.

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Mine drainage: Treatment technologies and rare earth elements

Cited by 25 publications

References 77 publications

A Comprehensive Review of Rare Earth Elements Recovery from Coal-Related Materials

A Comprehensive Review of Rare Earth Elements Recovery from Coal-Related Materials

Leaching of Rare Earth Elements from Various Sources

Mine Waste Rock: Insights for Sustainable Hydrogeochemical Management

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