Reduction in Technogenic Burden on the Environment by Flotation Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from Diluted Industrial Solutions

Abstract

Unconventional raw materials are widely used in construction sectors; for example, phosphate sludge with the addition of rare earth elements (REE) when producing brick. The second example is nanostructured composite systems of REE when forming covers of construction materials. This article studies flotation recovery of REE, the impact of chlorides on distribution coefficient, and pH recovery. The study proves the possibility of effective REE recovery from diluted industrial solutions and, consequently, the significant decrease in their content in wastewaters, which allows the improvement of the ecological situation in the industrial plant areas. In this article, optimum flotation conditions of REE by flotation are given by the example of yttrium (III) and lanthanum (III) salts. The processes of rare earth elements recovery by sodium dodecyl sulphate as salts of various compositions were studied. Distribution coefficients for target components as a function of aqueous phase pH and the presence of foreign anions were determined. The analysis of dependences obtained by the comparison of rare earth elements’ chloro and hydroxo complexes stability constants was made. The products of REE obtained by the authors will be used when manufacturing various kinds of building materials: carbon cement, baked brick, light construction materials, and high-tensile steel.