Chemical and biological innovations for rare earth processing and refining
https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/news/chemical-and-biological-innovations-for-rare-earth-processing-and-refining/
Novel chemical methods
REE-bearing minerals need to be dissolved in solution to allow the concentration and separation steps. There are several novel methods that can improve the energy efficiency and selectivity of these processes.
Ionic liquids
Ionic liquids (ILs) are compounds completely composed of ions and with a melting point less than 100C. They constitute a burgeoning research area owing to their ‘green’ and ‘designer’ properties. They allow for the facile tailoring of chemical processing, whether that be as catalysts for chemical transformation, or as solvents for extraction and separation. For a given chemical process, a precise specification and design can be sought by using ILs in combination with supports (e.g. MOFs, or membranes) to improve the reaction yield or separation efficiencies or other performance parameters.
Deep eutectic solvents
Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are a relatively new class of ILs, formed of a eutectic mixture of Lewis or Bronsted acids, which can contain a variety of anionic and/or cationic species. One of the major application areas of DESs is in metal processing, where their tuneable properties allow for selective dissolution and separation of a variety of metal species, including oxides.
Supramolecular chemistry
Supramolecular chemistry focuses on the exploitation of non-covalent, intermolecular forces to create large molecular structures that lend themselves to multiple applications, including as vehicles for metal extraction.