Abstract: Processing schemes for the extraction and/or separation of rare earth elements (REEs) from rare earth containing products such as rare earth mineral ore bodies and intermediate products derived from rare earth mineral ore bodies. The processing schemes may be applied independently or in various combinations to produce end-products that have a very high purity with respect to REEs, including high value critical REEs. The processes may include acid digestion, formation of rare earth oxalate compounds, metathesizing of rare earth oxalate compounds, selective precipitation and/or solvent extraction to form the high purity REE end products.

Abstract: Processing schemes for the extraction and/or separation of rare earth elements (REEs) from rare earth containing products such as rare earth mineral ore bodies and intermediate products derived from rare earth mineral ore bodies. The processing schemes may be applied independently or in various combinations to produce end-products that have a very high purity with respect to REEs, including high value critical REEs. The processes may include acid digestion, formation of rare earth oxalate compounds, metathesizing of rare earth oxalate compounds, selective precipitation and/or solvent extraction to form the high purity REE end products.

Abstract: Methods for the extraction of metals such as rare earth metals and thorium from metal compounds and solutions. The methods may include the selective precipitation of rare earth elements from pregnant liquor solutions as rare earth oxalates. The rare earth oxalates are converted to rare earth carbonates in a metathesis reaction before being digested in an acid and treated for the extraction of thorium. A two-step extraction method may be applied to precipitate thorium as thorium hydroxide under controlled pH conditions such that pure thorium precipitate is recovered from a first step and a thorium-free rare earth solution is recovered at the subsequent step. The resulting rare earth solutions are of extremely high purity and may be processed directly in a solvent extraction circuit for the separation of rare earth elements, or may be processed for the direct production of a 99.9% bulk rare earth hydroxide/oxide concentrate.

Abstract: Methods for the extraction of cerium and/or thorium from metal compounds and solutions. A single step or two-step extraction method may be applied to selectively precipitate thorium and/or cerium as hydroxides under controlled pH conditions such that a substantially thorium-free and/or cerium-free rare earth element (REE) solution may be formed, such as for the subsequent separation of individual rare earth elements.

Abstract: Processing schemes for the extraction and/or separation of rare earth elements (REEs) from rare earth containing products such as rare earth mineral ore bodies and intermediate products derived from rare earth mineral ore bodies. The processing schemes may be applied independently or in various combinations to produce end-products that have a very high purity with respect to REEs, including high value critical REEs. The processes may include acid digestion, formation of rare earth oxalate compounds, metathesizing of rare earth oxalate compounds, selective precipitation and/or solvent extraction to form the high purity REE end products.

Abstract: Methods for the extraction of cerium and/or thorium from metal compounds and solutions. A single step or two-step extraction method may be applied to selectively precipitate thorium and/or cerium as hydroxides under controlled pH conditions such that a substantially thorium-free and/or cerium-free rare earth element (REE) solution may be formed, such as for the subsequent separation of individual rare earth elements.

Abstract: Methods for the extraction of metals such as rare earth metals and thorium from metal compounds and solutions. The methods may include the selective precipitation of rare earth elements from pregnant liquor solutions as rare earth oxalates. The rare earth oxalates are converted to rare earth carbonates in a metathesis reaction before being digested in an acid and treated for the extraction of thorium. A two-step extraction method may be applied to precipitate thorium as thorium hydroxide under controlled pH conditions such that pure thorium precipitate is recovered from a first step and a thorium-free rare earth solution is recovered at the subsequent step. The resulting rare earth solutions are of extremely high purity and may be processed directly in a solvent extraction circuit for the separation of rare earth elements, or may be processed for the direct production of a 99.9% bulk rare earth hydroxide/oxide concentrate.

Abstract: Methods for the extraction of metals such as rare earth metals and thorium from metal compounds and solutions. The methods may include the selective precipitation of rare earth elements from pregnant liquor solutions as rare earth oxalates. The rare earth oxalates are converted to rare earth carbonates in a metathesis reaction before being digested in an acid and treated for the extraction of thorium. A two-step extraction method may be applied to precipitate thorium as thorium hydroxide under controlled pH conditions such that pure thorium precipitate is recovered from a first step and a thorium-free rare earth solution is recovered at the subsequent step. The resulting rare earth solutions are of extremely high purity and may be processed directly in a solvent extraction circuit for the separation of rare earth elements, or may be processed for the direct production of a 99.9% bulk rare earth hydroxide/oxide concentrate.

Abstract: The invention provides an enrichment process for a PGM-group metals containing stream, said process including the steps of contacting activated carbon particles with a PGM-rich stream by contacting the stream with a batch of the particles on a continuous basis, whereby at least some of the PGM-group metals are adsorbed from the stream onto active surface sites of the activated carbon and a PGM-metals depleted stream passes out of contact with the activated carbon batch, thereafter stripping the PGM-group metals from the activated carbon batch by means of a concentrated HCl solution as stripping agent, wherein the stripping agent is contacted with the activated carbon batch on a continuous flow basis and the PGM-group metals loaded stripping agent is removed from contact with the activated carbon from which the PGM-group metals have been stripped, and then regenerating the activated carbon batch by washing with water and, if necessary, reactivating the carbon particles.

Abstract: The invention provides an enrichment process for a PGM-group metals containing stream, said process including the steps of contacting activated carbon particles with a PGM-rich stream by contacting the stream with a batch of the particles on a continuous basis, whereby at least some of the PGM-group metals are adsorbed from the stream onto active surface sites of the activated carbon and a PGM-metals depleted stream passes out of contact with the activated carbon batch, thereafter stripping the PGM-group metals from the activated carbon batch by means of a concentrated HCl solution as stripping agent, wherein the stripping agent is contacted with the activated carbon batch on a continuous flow basis and the PGM-group metals loaded stripping agent is removed from contact with the activated carbon from which the PGM-group metals have been stripped, and then regenerating the activated carbon batch by washing with water and, if necessary, reactivating the carbon particles.