Mineral/Rare Earth extraction and processing

Rare earth elements (REEs, i.e., the fifteen elements of the lanthanide series as well as yttrium and scandium) are strategically critical materials, as they play an essential role in high-tech manufacturing markets, renewable energy technologies, and national defense. The demand for REEs has increased rapidly due to its diverse applications in many industries. Recent REE supply restrictions within this context require new or alternative sources to be found. Although the global reserves for rare earths were estimated as 130 million metric tons, finding highly concentrated rare earth deposits for economically viable extraction processes remain a challenge. Hence, to meet the demand, extracting rare earths from alternative sources such as coal and coal byproducts has gained extreme significance. The development of advanced separation technologies that enable the extraction of rare earth in a technically feasible, environmentally, and economically benign manner is vital to realizing the U.S. domestic REE supply chain. Future challenges also lie in bridging the technology gaps across the full REE value chain from upstream and midstream material supplies to downstream manufacturing of high-value end products.