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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0ACS Omega

Recovery and Separation of Rare Earth Elements and Iron from Columbite Hydrometallurgical Effluent

  • Gustavo Reis da Silva1
  • Jorge Alberto Soares Tenório1
  • Denise Crocce Romano Espinosa1
  1. 1University of São Paulo , , Semi-Industrial Building, Block A, second Floor-250, Rua do Lago , , ,
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Abstract

Rare earth elements exhibit unique physicochemical properties that justify their broad technological applications and rising global demand. Concerns about supply risks and resource scarcity have intensified the search for alternative supply routes and secondary sources. In this study, rare earth elements were recovered from an acidic effluent generated during the hydrometallurgical processing of columbite. Citric acid was used as a complexing agent to promote metal differentiation, and its effects on selective precipitation and solvent extraction were evaluated. Complexation with citric acid at a Fe:cit ratio of 1:1.5 and at pH 3 produced a precipitate with a rare earth-to-Fe ratio ten times higher than that of the initial solution. Subsequent solvent extraction with 10% v/v D2EHPA in kerosene recovered 92% of the remaining rare earth elements, yielding a separation factor of 27. The proposed process generated two streams enriched in rare earth elements.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{silva2026recovery,
  title = {{Recovery and Separation of Rare Earth Elements and Iron from Columbite Hydrometallurgical Effluent}},
  author = {Gustavo Reis da Silva and Jorge Alberto Soares Tenório and Denise Crocce Romano Espinosa},
  journal = {ACS Omega},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.1021/acsomega.6c06153},
  url = {https://pubs.acs.org/acsodf/article/doi/10.1021/acsomega.6c06153/5458511/Recovery-and-Separation-of-Rare-Earth-Elements-and},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Recovery and Separation of Rare Earth Elements and Iron from Columbite Hydrometallurgical Effluent
AU  - Gustavo Reis da Silva
AU  - Jorge Alberto Soares Tenório
AU  - Denise Crocce Romano Espinosa
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/26
JO  - ACS Omega
DO  - 10.1021/acsomega.6c06153
UR  - https://pubs.acs.org/acsodf/article/doi/10.1021/acsomega.6c06153/5458511/Recovery-and-Separation-of-Rare-Earth-Elements-and
AB  - Rare earth elements exhibit unique physicochemical properties that justify their broad technological applications and rising global demand. Concerns about supply risks and resource scarcity have intensified the search for alternative supply routes and secondary sources. In this study, rare earth elements were recovered from an acidic effluent generated during the hydrometallurgical processing of columbite. Citric acid was used as a complexing agent to promote metal differentiation, and its effects on selective precipitation and solvent extraction were evaluated. Complexation with citric acid at a Fe:cit ratio of 1:1.5 and at pH 3 produced a precipitate with a rare earth-to-Fe ratio ten times higher than that of the initial solution. Subsequent solvent extraction with 10% v/v D2EHPA in kerosene recovered 92% of the remaining rare earth elements, yielding a separation factor of 27. The proposed process generated two streams enriched in rare earth elements.
SN  - 2470-1343
ER  -