Preliminary Flowsheet Development for Mixed Rare Earth Elements Production from Apatite Leaching Aqueous Solution Using Biosorption and Precipitation

Abstract

A flowsheet was developed to extract mixed Rare Earth Elements (REEs) from an aqueous solution generated by nitric acid leaching of apatite concentrate. In this study, Platanus orientalis (P. orientalis) leaf powder was employed in the biosorption process to purify the pregnant leach solution. The sorption and desorption processes were investigated and optimized. The results demonstrated the successful extraction of REEs from the pregnant leach solution using the biosorbent. Hydrochloric acid effectively desorbed REEs from the loaded P. orientalis leaf powder. Thermodynamic studies indicated that REEs’ sorption on P. orientalis leaf powder was an endothermic and spontaneous process. Precipitation and calcination steps yielded mixed rare earth oxides (REOs) with an assay of approximately 87%. The final product, mixed REOs, can be further refined through releaching and a secondary impurity removal stage prior to entering the individual REE separation process. Alternatively, it can be fed directly into the solvent extraction process or alternative technologies to obtain individual heavy and light REEs.