Rare earth elements(REEs)are irreplaceable materials supporting low-carbon technology and equip-ment,and their commercial demand and strategic position are becoming increasingly prominent.With the continuous depletion...Rare earth elements(REEs)are irreplaceable materials supporting low-carbon technology and equip-ment,and their commercial demand and strategic position are becoming increasingly prominent.With the continuous depletion of rare earth(RE)resources,developing high-efficiency beneficiation and eco-friendly metallurgical processes has attracted widespread attention.This paper reviews the major minerals exploited for RE production and their deposits,as well as the beneficiation and metallurgical processes of RE minerals.Bastnaesite,monazite,mixed RE ores,and ion-adsorption clays are the main raw materials in the world to date.RE-bearing ores(except ion-adsorption minerals)are generally beneficiated by flotation,gravity and magnetic separation techniques.The mainstream metallurgical processes for bastnaesite,monazite and mixed RE concentrates are oxidation roasting-HCl leaching,caustic soda decomposition and high-temperature concentrated sulfuric acid roasting,respectively.Ion-adsorption clays are directly processed by in situ leaching-precipitation/solvent extraction.To achieve the sustainable development of RE resources,it is essential to further explore innovative techniques to achievecomprehensive utilization and cleaner production.展开更多
Clay impurities associated with bauxite negatively affect the Bayer process for alumina production. These impurities should be removed as far as possible by a beneficiation technique before the ore is used as feed for...Clay impurities associated with bauxite negatively affect the Bayer process for alumina production. These impurities should be removed as far as possible by a beneficiation technique before the ore is used as feed for the Bayer process. In this current investigation, bauxite washing was conducted in the laboratory. Bauxite washing is a physical process that causes the disintegration and deagglomeration of the clay matrix, and bauxite is liberated from the clay（mainly rich in silica）. Subsequently, separation occurs with the assistance of wet screening at a predetermined cut size. Three techniques were investigated in the laboratory： drum washing, water-jet washing, and ultrasonic washing. Various operating parameters were investigated for drum washing and water-jet washing, including materials retention time, drum rotation speed, solid concentration, water-jet spray duration, pressure, and height. We concluded that the retention time of bauxite inside the drum at a solid concentration of 55wt% and a drum rotation speed of 31 r/min is the dominant parameter for the removal of clay from the bauxite surface.展开更多
基金Project supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(2022YFC2905800,2021YFC2901000)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52174242,52130406).
文摘Rare earth elements(REEs)are irreplaceable materials supporting low-carbon technology and equip-ment,and their commercial demand and strategic position are becoming increasingly prominent.With the continuous depletion of rare earth(RE)resources,developing high-efficiency beneficiation and eco-friendly metallurgical processes has attracted widespread attention.This paper reviews the major minerals exploited for RE production and their deposits,as well as the beneficiation and metallurgical processes of RE minerals.Bastnaesite,monazite,mixed RE ores,and ion-adsorption clays are the main raw materials in the world to date.RE-bearing ores(except ion-adsorption minerals)are generally beneficiated by flotation,gravity and magnetic separation techniques.The mainstream metallurgical processes for bastnaesite,monazite and mixed RE concentrates are oxidation roasting-HCl leaching,caustic soda decomposition and high-temperature concentrated sulfuric acid roasting,respectively.Ion-adsorption clays are directly processed by in situ leaching-precipitation/solvent extraction.To achieve the sustainable development of RE resources,it is essential to further explore innovative techniques to achievecomprehensive utilization and cleaner production.
文摘Clay impurities associated with bauxite negatively affect the Bayer process for alumina production. These impurities should be removed as far as possible by a beneficiation technique before the ore is used as feed for the Bayer process. In this current investigation, bauxite washing was conducted in the laboratory. Bauxite washing is a physical process that causes the disintegration and deagglomeration of the clay matrix, and bauxite is liberated from the clay（mainly rich in silica）. Subsequently, separation occurs with the assistance of wet screening at a predetermined cut size. Three techniques were investigated in the laboratory： drum washing, water-jet washing, and ultrasonic washing. Various operating parameters were investigated for drum washing and water-jet washing, including materials retention time, drum rotation speed, solid concentration, water-jet spray duration, pressure, and height. We concluded that the retention time of bauxite inside the drum at a solid concentration of 55wt% and a drum rotation speed of 31 r/min is the dominant parameter for the removal of clay from the bauxite surface.
