Abstract: The present disclosure relates to processes for treating a coal associated material, e.g., acid mine drainage, while simultaneously recovering a high-grade rare earth preconcentrate suitable for extraction of commercially valuable rare earth oxides. Disclosed herein are methods for preparing a hydraulic pre-concentrate enriched in rare earth elements and critical minerals. Also disclosed herein are methods for preparing a pregnant leach solution from the disclosed hydraulic pre-concentrates. The present disclosure also relates to systems and plants for carrying out the disclosed processes. Also disclosed are compositions produced by the process disclosed herein in which the compositions comprise rare earth elements. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.