Investigation of rare earth elements (REEs) from coal and coal byproducts
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Date
2023-05-14
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German Mongolian Institute for Resouce and Technology
Abstract
The use of coal fly ash (CFA) as a potential secondary source of rare earth elements (REEs) has gained attention of researchers recently due to its high REEs content. The aim of thesis is to investigate conventional physical separation methods, such as particle size analysis, magnetic separation and froth flotation, for the recovery of REEs from fly ash obtained from a commercial coal-powered plant. The amount of rare earth elements (REEs) present in the sample of coal fly ash was measured using a technique called inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES). The findings of the quantitative analysis revealed that the total content of REEs in the coal ash was 416.7 parts per million (ppm).Experimental results showed that flotation was effective in improving the recovery and upgrading of REEs depending on the pH condition of the pulp. The highest REEs recovery 71.72% was achieved at pH 12, while the best grade upgrade 456.44 ppm was achieved at pH 10. However, magnetic separation tests showed that most REEs ended up in the tailings. The performance of various beneficiation methods varied significantly in this study. Overall, it was concluded that physical separation methods could be used to recover REEs from coal fly ash before further processing through hydrometallurgical methods. These findings have important implications for the development of sustainable and costeffective processes for the extraction of REEs from alternative sources, such as coal fly ash.