Collaboration Opportunity: Efficient Adsorptive Recovery of HREEs and Critical Minerals from Coal Derivatives

Opportunity:

NETL is actively seeking collaboration to advance and commercialize an innovative adsorptive method for the highly efficient recovery of Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREEs) and other Critical Minerals (CMs) from coal and its derivatives. This groundbreaking approach integrates physical enrichment for feedstock pre-concentration, significantly enhancing overall process efficacy.

Background:

Traditional HREE/CM extraction from coal derivatives is often costly, energy-intensive, and chemical-laden. Existing multi-step chemical extraction operations rely on vast amounts of expensive solvents and chemicals, resulting in low recovery and impure products due to inherently low REE concentrations. The heterogeneity of coal byproducts also demands complex pre-treatment, preventing a universal solution. Thus, there is an urgent need for cost-effective extraction technologies that significantly reduce chemical and energy consumption while offering feedstock flexibility.

Description:

NETL researchers have developed a process for the cost-effective recovery of concentrated HREEs and other critical minerals (CMs), including Gallium, Germanium, Vanadium, Cobalt, and Nickel. This method significantly reduces processing time to less than 5 minutes, demonstrates high selectivity for HREEs and CMs over fouling metals exceeding 1,000, and is proven effective with coal, coal refuse, and their derivatives. The core process involves an adsorptive technology to recover HREEs and CMs from coal and coal-derived solutions, followed by the release of high-purity HREEs and CMs through a pH-swing regeneration operation. Configured with multiple adsorption columns, the method can be continuously operated. It also incorporates a physical separation step, flotation or sonication enhanced flotation, for pre-concentrating REEs within the feedstock. This unique NETL method successfully recovers HREEs and CMs from feedstocks even at parts-per-million concentrations. By offering unparalleled low-maintenance requirements, affordability, and scalability compared to existing alternatives, it establishes a new standard for HREE/CM recovery technology.

Advantages/Benefits: 

• Improved cost efficiency.
• Minimal pressure drop.
• High capacity and selectivity for HREEs
• Short sorption contact times.
• Regenerable and robust performance tested in cyclability studies.

Potential Applications: 

• Coal refuse/waste streams
• Mine tailing/waste streams
• Acid mine drainage
• Industrial demineralization

Development Status: 

Current stage of technology development: TRL ☐ 0-2     ☒ 3-5     ☐ 5-9

NETL has filed for patent protection on this invention.

NETL is actively seeking industry partners with the capability and vision to bring this critical technology to market. By moving this innovation beyond the laboratory and into commercial application, our partners can gain a significant competitive advantage through licensing and/or cooperative research and development collaborations. Interested parties are invited to discuss this opportunity further under non-disclosure agreements to safeguard proprietary information.

NOTE: THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT. Entities interested in developing technologies for HREE and CM recovery should provide an electronic or written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and Address

2. The name, address and telephone number of a point of contact

3. A description of the relevant expertise and/or facilities

Please provide a complete statement to ensure consideration of your interest in this opportunity.

The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and the title of the opportunity and be directed to the Primary and Secondary points of contact listed below.