Abstract: It is described a method for recovering rare earth elements from low grade ores including a first metal selected group containing at least one of iron and aluminum and a second metal selected from the group consisting of at least of the rare earth elements (lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, yttrium and scandium), the method comprising the steps of: (i) contacting the ore with sulfuric acid to obtain sulfates of the first group of metals, (ii) subjecting the mixture to high temperatures in order to convert the first group of sulfates into phosphates or other stable species and the second group into sulfates, (iii) adding water to the cool mixture, selectively dissolving the rare earth elements and (iv) subjecting the rare earth solution to a purification process.

Abstract: A scanner protection casing including an external cabinet, an internal cabinet within which a scanner is positioned, a thermal insulation material between the external cabinet and the internal cabinet that reduces the thermal conductivity between the external cabinet and the internal cabinet. Further, the internal cabinet has a first side wall and a second side wall and the space between the first side wall and a second side wall is filled with a cooling fluid.