Intensified extraction and recovery of critical minerals from ore tailings

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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.