Intensified extraction and recovery of critical minerals from ore tailings

全球趋势要求能源密集型稀土元素(REE)和金属提取/分离更具可持续性。稀土元素的提取主要基于传统的溶剂萃取法，这种方法选择性不高，且资本密集型且产生废水。强化萃取，特别是超声波或微波辅助的溶剂萃取(SX)，以及微波辅助离子交换(MIX)和分子识别技术(MRT)等强化分离技术，都是更绿色的方法，需要更少的有机溶剂和酸，产生的废物更少。与传统技术相比，它们有可能在分离金属方面具有更高的选择性，通常会导致设备更小，生产率相同。这项研究项目是与Impact Global Solutions(IGS)和Auxico Resources Canada Inc.合作实现的，旨在从采矿业回收残留物，即从稀土提取中提取的富铁残留物和石棉残留物，我们将使用上述绿色提取和分离方法来实现这一目标。目标金属是铁、钴、钒、铬、镍、钛。实施这些强化技术的环境效益包括由于所需能源较少而减少废水和碳排放。加拿大将从这一项目的实现中受益，因为清洁技术带来社会效益，因为改善环境质量转化为改善人们的生活质量。加拿大还将利用该项目框架内产生的知识，在其领土上实施可应用于各种领域的清洁技术，包括矿业、材料工程、食品工业、生物质和林业以及聚合物工业。该项目将培养1名博士、2名硕士和6名理科学生。

Global trends demand the energy-intensive rare earth elements (REE) and metals extraction/separation to be more sustainable. The extraction of REE is mainly based on traditional solvent extraction methods, which are not very selective and generate wastewater while being capital intensive. Intensified extraction, in particular solvent extraction (SX) assisted by ultrasound or microwave, as well as intensified separation technologies such as microwave-assisted ion exchange (MIX) and molecular recognition technology (MRT), are all greener methods that require less organic solvents and acids, and generate less waste. They have the potential to be more selective in separating metals than traditional techniques and generally lead to smaller equipment for the same productivity. This research project is realized in collaboration with Impact Global Solutions (IGS) and Auxico Resources Canada Inc. and addresses the recovery of residues from the mining industry, namely iron-rich residues from REE extractions and asbestos residues, which we will accomplish with the green extraction and separation methods mentioned above. The target metals are Fe, Co, V, Cr, Ni, Ti. The environmental benefits of the implementation of these intensified technologies include less wastewater and carbon emissions due to the lower energy required. Canada will benefit from the realization of this project since clean technologies bring social benefits, as improving the quality of the environment translates into improving people's life quality. Canada will also take advantage of the knowledge generated in the framework of this project by implementing clean technologies on its territory that can be applied to a variety of fields, including the mineral industry, materials engineering, food industry, biomass and forestry, and the polymer industry. This project will train 1 PhD, 2 MSc, and 6 BSc students.