Leaching of Rare Earth Elements from Various Sources

Dear Colleagues,

Rare earth elements (REEs) have become an important group of metals used in many high-tech industries including high-strength magnets, plasma TVs, various military applications, and clean and efficient green energy industries. Unlike many commercially available metals, REEs are rarely concentrated into mineable ore deposits. The principal concentrations of REEs are associated with uncommon varieties of igneous rocks, alkaline rocks, and carbonatites. These types of deposits are refractory in nature due to unusually strong binding energies of these metals with the surrounding media. As a result, the strategy involved in the extraction of these elements requires a careful consideration of the chemical and physical nature of the energy associated between these metals and the surrounding media. Similar extraction behavior is observed when REEs are leached from secondary sources.

Because of the refractory nature of these mineral deposits, these deposits in general undergo heat-treatment, often either with sulfuric acid or alkaline to make these deposits amenable to leach in water-based solutions. Consequently, the leaching behavior of these minerals vastly differs based on its prior treatment. There has been much research carried out to release REEs from various sources using various leaching technologies. Some studies include the thermodynamic aspects of the association of various anions during the leaching process. Such approaches attempt to improve the overall strategies of REE leaching.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide important works that have been carried out in the field of leaching REEs from various sources. The key areas that have been concentrated on include but are not limited to the leaching behavior of REEs from various sources before and after prior-treatments. Salient analysis of the thermodynamic aspects of leaching behavior will also be covered, along with the characteristics of the chemical precipitation of REEs in various solutions provided by associated mineral matters included in the original sources and their effect on the secondary leaching process.

Prof. Dr. Kenneth N. Han
Guest Editor

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