Characteristics of Some Selected Methods of Rare Earth Elements Recovery from Coal Fly Ashes

Abstract

The article covers the issues related to the characteristics, application, and some methods of rare earth elements (REEs) recovery from coal fly ashes. REEs are elements with growing demand and a very wide range of application, especially when it comes to modern technologies. The conducted analysis and price forecast proved the existing upward tendency, and this confirmed the need to search for new REE sources, among industrial waste (proecological effect). The development of the REE recovery technology would involve solving several problems related to REE speciation, optimization of factors controlling their extractivity and selection of the REE separation method from obtained extraction solutions with a very extreme pH and complicated composition. The paper presented advantages and disadvantages of usually used methods of REE separation from coal fly ashes, like physical and acid–base leaching. It was also presented alternative REE recovery techniques in the form of membrane and biological methods and based on ion liquids (ILs) or chelating agents. The directions of further modifications, which will allow the efficient REE recovery were presented. The aim of this article was to propose specific solutions based on the creation of appropriate multistage method of REE recovery. It will be a combination of magnetic and size separation, acid–base leaching (including roasting in justified cases), removal of matrix elements with ILs (Al, Si, and Fe), and finally REE membrane separation, allowing one to obtain the appropriate process efficiency.