Rare Earth Metal (at. No. 21, 39, Or 57-71) Patents (Class 423/21.1)
  • Patent number: 11913090
    Abstract: A method for extracting rare earth elements and critical minerals including adding an acid to a mixture comprising organically bound rare earth elements. The mixture is maintained at a pH of 0.25 to 4 for a period of time, resulting in a liquor and a leached mixture. The liquor is removed from the leached mixture to form a dewatered cake. The dewatered cake is washed to form a washing liquid. The washing liquid is recycled to create a second slurry comprising organically bound rare earth elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2024
    Assignee: University of North Dakota
    Inventors: Nolan Theaker, Daniel Laudal
  • Patent number: 11905573
    Abstract: Novel methods of recovering neodymium and related rare earth elements from permanent magnets of various compositions are described. The methods employ processing steps including converting the magnet material to a higher surface area form such as a powder, treating the mixture with alkaline solutions to form product concentrated in neodymium and rare earth metals. Inexpensive materials such as ammonia, ammonium carbonate, carbon dioxide, water are recycled in a process that uses moderate temperatures, pressures and non-corrosive and environmentally-friendly chemicals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventors: Mark Berggren, Robert Zubrin, John T. Henri, Boris Nizamov
  • Patent number: 11807545
    Abstract: A method of separating scandium from a feedstock wherein a scandium enriched solution is produced from the feedstock and the scandium enriched solution is extracted to produce an organic phase of the scandium enriched solution. The organic phase of the scandium enriched solution is re-extracted to produce an aqueous phase including scandium chloride. The aqueous phase is precipitated and calcinated to produce scandium oxide powder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Physical Sciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Dorin V. Preda, Prakash B. Joshi, Matthew B. Boucher, Aaron R. Rathmell
  • Patent number: 11753308
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method of separating and extracting rare-earths from rare-earth polishing powder waste and regenerating rare-earth polishing powder, which is characterized by: firstly, process the waste powder with first acid leaching, alkali roasting, and second acid leaching to separate and extract rare-earths from rare-earth polishing powder waste to obtain the leaching solution of rare-earth chloride; secondly, precipitate from the leaching solution with ammonia to remove impurities and hydrochloric acid solution to obtain the purified solution of rare-earth chloride; thirdly, co-precipitate from the solution acquired in the second step with hydrofluoric acid, ammonium bicarbonate, and dispersant to obtain the lanthanum cerium fluoro-carbonate; and finally, after drying, two-stage high-temperature calcination, and ball milling, the regenerated rare-earth polishing powder with decent polishing performance can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2023
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Assignee: BEIJING UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Yufeng Wu, Minwei Song, Qijun Zhang
  • Patent number: 11670759
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of making porous zinc electrodes. Taken together, the steps are: forming a mixture of water, a soluble compound that increases the viscosity of the mixture, an insoluble porogen, and metallic zinc powder; placing the mixture in a mold to form a sponge; optionally drying the sponge; placing the sponge in a metal mesh positioned to allow air flow through substantially all the openings in the mesh; heating the sponge in an inert atmosphere at a peak temperature of 200 to 420° C. to fuse the zinc particles to each other to form a sintered sponge; and heating the sintered sponge in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a peak temperature of 420 to 700° C. to form ZnO on the surfaces of the sintered sponge. The heating steps burn out the porogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: The Government of the United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Brandon J. Hopkins, Joseph F. Parker, Jeffrey W. Long, Debra R. Rolison
  • Patent number: 11577956
    Abstract: A method of producing ceria nanocrystals is provided. The method includes providing a gas that includes ozone to a solution that includes a cerium salt, and obtaining ceria nanocrystals from the solution after the gas is provided to the first solution. A method of producing nanoparticles is provided. The method includes providing a gas that includes ozone to a solution that includes a metal salt that includes at least one of a transition metal or a lanthanide, and producing at least one of metal oxide nanoparticles, metal oxynitrate nanoparticles, or metal oxyhydroxide nanoparticles from the solution after the gas is provided to the solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: NUtech Ventures
    Inventors: Chin Li Cheung, Christopher Mark Marin, Anuja Bhalkikar, Tamra Fisher
  • Patent number: 11232902
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recovery of Nd2Fe14B grains from bulk sintered Nd—Fe—B magnets and/or magnet scraps. In this method the Nd—Fe—B magnets (1) and/or magnet scraps are anodically oxidized using a non-aqueous liquid electrolyte (5), said anodic oxidation releasing the Nd2Fe14B grains (6) in said Nd—Fe—B magnets (1) and/or magnet scraps. The released Nd2Fe14B grains (6) are collected during and/or after said anodic oxidation. The proposed method allows a more environmental friendly and cost-effective way for recycling EOL Nd—Fe—B magnets/Nd—Fe—B magnet scraps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Institut Jo{hacek over (z)}ef Stefan
    Inventors: Xuan Xu, Saso Sturm, Kristina Zuzek Rozman
  • Patent number: 11148957
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for recovering at least rare earth elements from within an object A consisting of at least one first rare earth portion or a mixture of rare earth elements and a second metal portion. The method includes a solvothermal treatment step that places the object in contact with a fluid for causing at least one rare earth portion and/or mixture of rare earth elements and the metal portion to oxidize in order to separate same, the value of the reaction temperature Tr is selected according to the nature of the object, the reaction following a R-M?R(X)x+M(X)y scheme, where R is the rare earth element or a mixture of rare earth elements, M is the transition metal, and (X) is a group which depends on the fluid used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignees: CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE, UNIVERSITE DE ROUEN-NORMANDIE, INSTITUT NATIONAL DES SCIENCES APPLIQUEES DE ROUEN NORMANDIE
    Inventors: Jean-Marie Le Breton, Nicolas Maât, Virginie Nachbaur
  • Patent number: 11142466
    Abstract: There are provided processes for preparing a metal hydroxide comprising (i) at least one metal chosen from nickel and cobalt and optionally (ii) at least one metal chosen from manganese, lithium and aluminum, the process comprising: reacting a metal sulfate comprising (i) at least one metal chosen from nickel and cobalt and optionally (ii) at least one metal chosen from manganese, lithium and aluminum with lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and/or potassium hydroxide and optionally a chelating agent in order to obtain a solid comprising the metal hydroxide and a liquid comprising lithium sulfate, sodium sulfate and/or potassium sulfate; separating the liquid and the solid from one another to obtain the metal hydroxide; submitting the liquid comprising lithium sulfate, sodium sulfate and/or potassium sulfate to an electromembrane process for converting the lithium sulfate, sodium sulfate and/or potassium sulfate into lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and/or potassium hydroxide respectively; reusing the sodi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: NEMASKA LITHIUM INC.
    Inventors: Guy Bourassa, Jean-François Magnan, Nicolas Laroche, Thomas Bibienne, Mathieu Charbonneau, Mickaël Dollé
  • Patent number: 11110449
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a process for recovery and regeneration of rare earth metals or salts thereof used as catalyst and which is conveniently integrated within the overall flow sheets of manufacturing dialkyl carbonates. Alkyl carbamate, alcohol and a rare earth metal salt as catalyst selected from the lanthanide series are added in a reactor to afford dialkyl carbonate. The rare earth metal catalyst is selected from samarium, cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, ytterbium, europium and gadolinium. Ammonia is added to a portion of the reaction mixture to precipitate the catalyst and the separated deactivated catalyst is dissolved in acid to afford regenerated catalyst, e.g., in triflic acid in the case of samarium triflate catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: COUNCIL OF SCIENTIFIC & INDUSTRIAL RESEARCH
    Inventors: Vivek Vinayak Ranade, Ashutosh Anant Kelkar, Vilas Hari Rane, Anil Kisan Kinage, Savita Kiran Shingote, Lalita Sanjib Roy, Dhananjay Ravindra Mote
  • Patent number: 11069889
    Abstract: Disclosed are methods of making porous zinc electrodes. Taken together, the steps are: forming a mixture of water, a soluble compound that increases the viscosity of the mixture, an insoluble porogen, and metallic zinc powder; placing the mixture in a mold to form a sponge; optionally drying the sponge; placing the sponge in a metal mesh positioned to allow air flow through substantially all the openings in the mesh; heating the sponge in an inert atmosphere at a peak temperature of 200 to 420° C. to fuse the zinc particles to each other to form a sintered sponge; and heating the sintered sponge in an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a peak temperature of 420 to 700° C. to form ZnO on the surfaces of the sintered sponge. The heating steps burn out the porogen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: The Government of the United Stales of America, as represented by the Secretare of the Navy
    Inventors: Brandon J. Hopkins, Joseph F. Parker, Jeffrey W. Long, Debra R. Rolison
  • Patent number: 11034589
    Abstract: The present invention relates to cerium oxide particles that have excellent heat resistance especially useful for catalysts, functional ceramics, solid electrolyte for fuel cells, polishing, ultraviolet absorbers and the like, and particularly suitable for use as a catalyst or co-catalyst material, for instance in catalysis for purifying vehicle exhaust gas. The present invention also relates to a method for preparing such cerium oxide particles, and a catalyst, such as for purifying exhaust gas, utilizing these cerium oxide particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2021
    Assignee: RHODIA OPERATIONS
    Inventors: Naotaka Ohtake, Mitsuhiro Okazumi, Fabien Ocampo
  • Patent number: 11021773
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a scandium-containing concentrate from the wastes of alumina production and extracting high-purity scandium oxide from the same. Provided is a method for producing a scandium-containing concentrate from a red mud, wherein the Sc2O3 content therein is least of 15 wt. %, the TiO2 content not more than 3 wt. %, the ZrO2 content not more than 15 wt. %, and wherein scandium in the concentrate is in form of a mixture of Sc(OH)3 hydroxide with ScOHCO3.4H2O. Also provided is a method for producing high-purity scandium oxide, with a purity of approximately 99 wt. %.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: United Company RUSAL Engineering and Technology Centre LLC
    Inventors: Aleksandr Gennadievich Suss, Aleksandr Borisovich Kozyrev, Andrej Vladimirovich Panov
  • Patent number: 10968112
    Abstract: Provided is a method for obtaining high-purity scandium oxide efficiently from a solution containing scandium. The method for producing high-purity scandium oxide of the present invention has a first firing step S12 for subjecting a solution containing scandium to oxalation treatment using oxalic acid and firing the obtained crystals of scandium oxalate at a temperature of 400 to 600° C., inclusive, a dissolution step S13 for dissolving the scandium compound obtained by firing in one or more solutions selected from hydrochloric acid and nitric acid to obtain a solution, a reprecipitation step S14 for subjecting the solution to oxalation treatment using oxalic acid and generating a reprecipitate of scandium oxalate, and a second firing step S15 for firing the reprecipitate of obtained scandium oxalate to obtain scandium oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Higaki, Hiroshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10890344
    Abstract: An environment control system utilizes oxygen and humidity control devices that are coupled with an enclosure to independently control the oxygen concentration and the humidity level within the enclosure. An oxygen depletion device may be an oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell that reacts with oxygen within the cell and produces water through electrochemical reactions. A desiccating device may be g, a dehumidification electrolyzer cell, a desiccator, a membrane desiccator or a condenser. A controller may control the amount of voltage and/or current provided to the oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell and therefore the rate of oxygen reduction and may control the amount of voltage and/or current provided to the dehumidification electrolyzer cell and therefore the rate of humidity reduction. The oxygen level may be determined by the measurement of voltage and a limiting current of the oxygen depletion electrolyzer cell. The enclosure may be a food or artifact enclosure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2021
    Assignee: Xergy Inc.
    Inventors: Bamdad Bahar, Kryiacos Zachary
  • Patent number: 10865463
    Abstract: A method for separating a light rare earth element and a heavy rare earth element includes at least the steps of: (1) obtaining, from a workpiece containing a light rare earth element and a heavy rare earth element, a composite oxide or mixture of oxides of the two; (2) dissolving the obtained composite oxide or mixture of oxides in hydrochloric acid and/or nitric acid; (3) adding a precipitant to the obtained solution to give a precipitate; (4) calcining the obtained precipitate; (5) adding the obtained calcine in an amount of 1.1 times to 3.0 times the upper solubility limit to hydrochloric acid and/or nitric acid having a concentration of 0.7 mol/L or more to give a solution and a residue; and (6) separating the obtained solution and residue, thereby giving the solution as a light rare earth element-rich inclusion and the residue as a heavy rare earth element-rich inclusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2020
    Assignee: HITACHI METALS, LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Hoshi
  • Patent number: 10787722
    Abstract: A process for separating rare earth elements (REE) from Ca, Mg and other non-REE elements comprises raising the pH of an acidic aqueous solution of REE to pH 8 to pH 11; adding nano- or micro (NoM) particles having a silica or titanium oxide surface; agitating the suspension for 6 h to 48 h to provide for adherent crystallization of REE hydroxide on the particles; separating the particles from the solution; releasing REE by treatment with aqueous acid to form an aqueous solution of REE salt; separating them from the aqueous solution of REE salt formed. The acidic aqueous solution comprising REE is preferably provided by leaching of an REE mineral with aqueous acid; adding a base to bring the pH to from pH 4.0 to pH 6.5; separating precipitated non-REE hydroxide from the solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Inventors: Gulaim A. Seisenbaeva, Elizabeth Polido Legaria, Vadim Kessler
  • Patent number: 10738369
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of separating rare earth elements from rare earth polishing powder waste by a hydrometallurgical process, the method comprising the steps of: synthesizing sodium rare-earth double sulfates by adding sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide to the rare earth polishing powder waste; converting the sodium rare-earth double sulfates into rare earth hydroxides; and separating cerium (Ce), lanthanum (La), praseodymium (Pr), and neodymium (Nd) from the rare earth hydroxides by adding hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. The present invention makes it possible to recover 99% or more of rare earth elements, including cerium (Ce), lanthanum (La), praseodymium (Pr), and neodymium (Nd) from rare earth polishing powder waste, and enables the recovered rare earth elements to be recycled, thereby achieving great industrial economic benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2020
    Assignee: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
    Inventors: Namil Um, Mi-Jeong Jeong, Young Yeul Kang, Ki-Heon Kim, Cheol Woo Yoon, Yong Jun Kim, Yoon-A Cho, Byung-Seo Lim, Sun Kyoung Shin, YoungKee Lee
  • Patent number: 10717909
    Abstract: A cerium-based abrasive that achieves a high polishing rate and suppresses the occurrence of surface defects such as scratches and pits and the deposition of the abrasive particles on the polished surface in surface polishing of glass substrates or the like, at low cost with a high production efficiency. The cerium-based abrasive includes a cubic composite rare earth oxide and a composite rare earth oxyfluoride, containing 95.0 to 99.5 mass % of total rare earth elements in terms of oxides, containing 54.5 to 95.0 mass % of cerium in terms of oxide, 4.5 to 45.0 mass % of lanthanum in terms of oxide, and 0.5 to 2.0 mass % of neodymium in terms of oxide relative to the total rare earth elements in terms of oxides, containing 0.5 to 4.0 mass % of fluorine atoms, and containing 0.001 to 0.50 mass % of sodium atoms relative to the total rare earth elements in terms of oxides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2020
    Assignee: SHOWA DENKO K.K.
    Inventors: Tomoyuki Masuda, Hiroshi Saegusa
  • Patent number: 10651479
    Abstract: A method of recovering metal compounds from solid oxide fuel cell scrap includes processing the solid oxide fuel cell scrap to form a powder, digesting the processed scrap, extracting lanthanum oxide and cerium oxide from a solution containing the digested processed scrap, extracting a zirconium compound from the solution after extracting the lanthanum oxide and cerium oxide, and extracting scandium compound from the solution extracting the zirconium compound from the solution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: BLOOM ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lunzhi Liao, Christopher Jeffrey Hartley, Andrew Sarmiento
  • Patent number: 10648063
    Abstract: A chemical dissolution method is provided for use in recycling rare earth metal-containing material such as permanent magnet material including end-of-life magnet shapes, magnet scrap and Terfenol-D alloy material by mixing the rare earth metal-containing material and an aqueous solution of a copper (II) salt to dissolve the material in the solution. The dissolved rare earth metal is then precipitated from the aqueous solution as a rare earth metal compound, such as a rare earth metal oxalate, sulfate or phosphate from which rare earth metal oxide can be obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Anja-Verena Mudring, Denis Prodius, Cajetan Ikenna Nlebedim
  • Patent number: 10597754
    Abstract: The application relates to a process for rare earth extraction and thorium removal from monazite or bastnasite bearing ores or ore beneficiation and industrial waste containing a variable amount of rare earth elements as oxides, phosphates, carbonates or sulfates, comprising (i) controlled mixture between sulfuric acid and the material containing rare earth and (ii) water leaching under controlled conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2020
    Assignee: VALE S.A.
    Inventors: Leandro Augusto Viana Teixeira, Ruberlan Gomes Silva
  • Patent number: 10495626
    Abstract: Wood markers and processes for durably marking and subsequently identifying both original grain wood products and wood-plastic composite products. The wood marker can be dispersed beneath the surface of the wood, where it is protected from the elements and may endure years of exposure to the elements. The wood marker is compatible with state-of-the-art pressure-treating processes and may subsequently be detected for authentication purposes by known analytical methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Troy Corporation
    Inventors: Richard Wayne Greene, Barry Dean Haugen, Stephen Edward Cavender
  • Patent number: 10280482
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of recovering rare earth, aluminum and silicon from rare earth-containing aluminum-silicon scrap. The method comprises: S1, acid-leaching the rare earth-containing aluminum-silicon scrap with an inorganic acid aqueous solution to obtain a silicon-rich slag and acid leached solution containing rare earth and aluminum element; S2, adding an alkaline substance into the acid leached solution containing the rare earth and aluminum element and controlling a PH value of the acid leaching solution between 3.5 to 5.2, performing a solid-liquid separation to obtain a aluminum hydroxide-containing precipitate and a rare earth-containing solution filter; S3, reacting the aluminum hydroxide containing precipitate with sodium hydroxide to obtain sodium metaaluminate solution and aluminum-silicon slag, and preparing a rare earth compound product with the rare earth-containing filtrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: GRIREM ADVANCED MATERIALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Xiaowei Huang, Yang Xu, Jinyu Wang, Liangshi Wang, Zongyu Feng, Dali Cui, Zhiqi Long, Xu Sun, Na Zhao
  • Patent number: 10156002
    Abstract: Provided is a method for recovering scandium with which scandium can be efficiently recovered as high purity scandium oxide from a scandium-containing solution containing impurities such as iron without causing problems such as increased cost and safety problems. According to the method for recovering scandium according to the present invention, the pH of a solution containing scandium and iron (scandium-containing solution) is adjusted within the range of not less than ?0.5 and less than 1, then scandium oxalate is obtained by adding the pH adjusted solution to an oxalic acid solution, and the scandium oxalate is roasted into scandium oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryoma Yamaguma, Tatsuya Higaki, Hidemasa Nagai, Satoshi Asano, Hiroshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10106489
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved process for the purification of polyaminocarboxylates such as DOTA, DTPA, DO3A-butrol, BOPTA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Biophore India Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd.
    Inventors: Jagadeesh Babu Rangisetty, Manik Reddy Pullaguria, Rajesh Bhudeti
  • Patent number: 10036082
    Abstract: Provided are: an extractant which is capable of quickly and highly efficiently extracting zirconium from an acidic solution that is obtained by acid leaching a material containing zirconium and scandium such as an SOFC electrode material; and a method for extracting zirconium, which uses this extractant. A zirconium extractant according to the present invention is composed of an amide derivative represented by general formula (I). In the formula, R1 and R2 respectively represent the same or different alkyl groups, each of which may be linear or branched; R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; and R4 represents a hydrogen atom or an arbitrary group other than an amino group, said arbitrary group being bonded, as an amino acid, to the ? carbon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignees: Kyushu University, National University Corporation, SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Goto, Fukiko Kubota, Yuzo Baba
  • Patent number: 9993803
    Abstract: A method of making cerium dioxide nanoparticles includes: a) providing an aqueous reaction mixture having a source of cerous ion, a source of hydroxide ion, a nanoparticle stabilizer, and an oxidant at an initial temperature no higher than about 20° C.; b) mechanically shearing the mixture and causing it to pass through a perforated screen, thereby forming a suspension of cerium hydroxide nanoparticles; and c) raising the initial temperature to achieve oxidation of cerous ion to eerie ion and thereby form cerium dioxide nanoparticles having a mean diameter in the range of about 1 nm to about 15 nm. The cerium dioxide nanoparticles may be formed in a continuous process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: CERION, LLC
    Inventors: Albert Gary Difrancesco, Richard K. Hailstone, Andreas Langner, Kenneth J. Reed
  • Patent number: 9963762
    Abstract: In order to recover high-quality scandium from nickel oxide ores efficiently, this method comprises: a step (S1) for feeding Ni oxide ores and sulfuric acid into a pressure vessel, and subjecting the mixture to solid-liquid separation to form a leachate and a leach residue; a step (S2) for adding a neutralizing agent to the leachate, and thus forming a neutralization sediment and a post-neutralization fluid; a step (S3) for adding a sulfurizing agent to the post-neutralization fluid, and separating the obtained mixture into Ni sulfide and a post-sulfurization fluid; a step (S4) for bringing the post-sulfurization fluid into contact with a chelating resin, making Sc adsorbed on the chelating resin, and forming an Sc eluent; a step (S6) for bringing the Sc eluent into contact with an extracting agent, adding a back-extraction agent to the extract, and forming back-extracted matter; and a step (S8) for roasting the back-extracted matter, and forming Sc oxide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Higaki, Yoshitomo Ozaki, Shin-ya Matsumoto, Itsumi Matsuoka, Hidemasa Nagai, Toshihiko Nagakura, Keiji Kudo
  • Patent number: 9822014
    Abstract: A method for making lithium iron phosphate is provided. A lithium chemical compound, a ferrous chemical compound, and a phosphate-radical chemical compound are mixed in an organic solvent to form a mixture. The mixture is solvothermal reacted in a solvothermal reactor at a predetermined temperature. A protective gas is introduced into the solvothermal reactor during the solvothermal reaction to increase a pressure in the solvothermal reactor to a level higher than a self-generated pressure of the solvothermal reaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignees: Tsinghua University, HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Li Wang, Xiang-Ming He, Ji-Xian Wang, Jian Gao, Jian-Jun Li
  • Patent number: 9752213
    Abstract: A method for comprehensively recovering rare earth elements and fluorine element in a bastnaesite treatment process. The method comprises: oxidation roasting a bastnaesite, and leaching a roasted mixture using a hydrochloric acid, adding a roasting promoter to the bastnaesite during the roasting process; and/or during the leaching process using the hydrochloric acid, adding a catalytic leaching promoter into the mixture, obtaining a rare earth chloride solution containing little cerium element and a cerium-rich residue containing the fluorine element; and separating and recovering rare earth fluorides from the cerium-rich residue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: GRIREM ADVANCED MATERIALS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Liangshi Wang, Zhiqi Long, Dali Cui, Xiaowei Huang, Ying Yu, Yang Xu, Xingliang Feng
  • Patent number: 9663842
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: VALE S.A.
    Inventors: Tiago Valentim Berni, Antonio Clareti Pereira, Flávia Dutra Mendes, João Alberto Lessa Tude
  • Patent number: 9493857
    Abstract: In order to selectively extract copper and/or lead from an acidic solution containing high concentrations of manganese, etc., the valuable-metal extracting agent of the present invention is expressed by general formula (1). In the formula, R1 and R2 each represent the same or different alkyl groups, R3 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, and R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a given group, other than an amino group, that bonds with an ? carbon as an amino acid. In general formula (1), the inclusion of a glycine unit, a histidine unit, a lysine unit, an asparagine acid unit, or a normal methylglycine unit is preferred. When using the extracting agent to extract copper/and lead, it is preferable that the pH of the acidic solution be adjusted to 1.0-5.5 inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignees: Kyushu University, National University Corporation, SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiro Goto, Fukiko Kubota, Yuzo Baba
  • Patent number: 9446070
    Abstract: A process for making nanoparticles of biocompatible materials is described, wherein an aqueous reaction mixture comprising cerous ion, citric acid, an oxidant, and water, is adjusted to a predetermined range of pH, held at temperature conditions to directly form, without isolation, a stable dispersion of cerium oxide nanoparticles. Dispersions of these biocompatible cerium oxide nanoparticles exhibit self-life well in excess of one year, and may be used to prevent and/or treat disease or injury, such as oxidative stress related diseases and events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: CERION, LLC
    Inventors: Wendi Ann Costanzo, Kenneth Joseph Reed
  • Patent number: 9435009
    Abstract: An objective of the invention is to provide a method and system for separating a particular rare earth element from a rare earth magnet at a high separation ratio and by a simple process. There is provided a rare earth separation method for separating a first and a second groups of rare earth elements contained in a magnet, the method including: a starting powder preparation step from the magnet; a magnet component oxidation heat treatment step; a rare earth oxide separation step from the magnet components oxide powder; a powder size optimization step; a chlorinating agent mixing step; a chlorination/oxychlorination heat treatment step of forming a “first group rare earth chlorides”/“second group rare earth oxychlorides” mixture; a selective dissolution step of selectively dissolving the first group rare earth chlorides in the solvent and leaving the second group rare earth oxychlorides undissolved in solid phase form; and a solid-liquid separation step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Metals, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamamoto, Katsuyoshi Furusawa, Hiroyuki Hoshi, Atsushi Kikugawa, Motoyuki Miyata, Hajime Murakami
  • Patent number: 9416432
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a leaching method of rare-earth metals using a hydrochloric acid from a manganese nodule, and more particularly, to a leaching method of rare-earth metals using a hydrochloric acid from a manganese nodule, in which a manganese nodule is mixed with a hydrochloric acid, then stirred and heated to leach the rare-earth metal included in the manganese nodule.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: KOREA INSTITUTE OF GEOSCIENCE AND MINERAL RESOURCES
    Inventors: Jin-Tae Park, Chul-Woo Nam, Kyung-Ho Park, Hyun-Ho Kim
  • Patent number: 9399828
    Abstract: In an extraction tank, a plating solution containing rare earth metal ions is treated with an extracting solution of an extractant in a water-insoluble organic solvent. Extraction treatment is carried out by atomizing the extracting solution through a lower nozzle into the plating solution in the tank lower zone, and atomizing the plating solution through an upper nozzle into the extracting solution in the tank upper zone, for thereby bringing the plating solution in contact with the extracting solution to extract rare earth metal ions from the plating solution into the extractant for removal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: SHIN-ETSU CHEMICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroto Sugahara, Takehisa Minowa
  • Patent number: 9347115
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide a method for recovering a rare earth element, which is capable of efficiently recovering a rare earth element with high recovery rate without using any expensive chemicals, solvents or the like. In the present invention, a water-soluble salt other than sulfate ions is allowed to coexist with an aqueous solution that contains a rare earth element, and then an alkali metal sulfate is added to the aqueous solution, thereby producing a precipitate of a double sulfate of the rare earth element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: SUMITOMO METAL MINING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazunari Maeba, Yukie Kawakami, Keiji Kudo, Masatoshi Takano, Hitoshi Ishida, Satoshi Asano, Masahiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9322083
    Abstract: The invention belongs to the field of recycling of resources, in particular to a method for waste rare earth luminescent material by dual hydrochloric acid. First hydrochloric acid was used to dissolve the red phosphor powder (Y2O3:Eu) priority, and yttrium-rich rare earth chloride solution and residue were obtained after filtered. Residue's major components were green and blue phosphor powder, and the removal of Ca2+ in filtrate was conducted by using Na2SO4, and CaSO4 precipitation separation was conducted to get rich rare earth chloride solution, europium and yttrium. Residue was mixed with alkali to perform alkaline fusion at high temperature to decompose green and blue powder, then sodium aluminate, magnesium, barium and rare earth oxides were obtained. Alkaline fusion products were washed with water, and filtered, and then sodium aluminate solution and residues containing rare earth oxides were obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY BEIJING
    Inventors: Shengen Zhang, Hu Liu, Dean Pan, Jianjun Tian, Min Yang
  • Patent number: 9101908
    Abstract: Provided is a method for preparing a vanadia-titania catalyst, comprising: vaporizing a titanium precursor; conveying the vaporized titanium precursor to a reaction unit together with an oxygen supplying source; reacting the vaporized titanium precursor conveyed to the reaction unit with the oxygen supplying source to produce titania particles; condensing the titania particles, collecting and recovering them; mixing the recovered titania particles with a vanadium precursor solution; drying the mixture of the titania particles with the vanadium precursor solution; and calcining the dried mixture under oxygen atmosphere or air. Provided also is a vanadia-titania catalyst obtained by the method. The vanadia-titania catalyst has a large specific surface area, uniform and fine nano-scaled size, and high dispersibility, thereby providing excellent nitrogen oxide removal efficiency, particularly in a low temperature range of 200° C.-250° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Jong Soo Jurng, Sung Min Chin, Eun Seuk Park
  • Patent number: 9045813
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for selectively removing molybdenum from a solution which contains molybdenum, said process comprising the following steps: bringing the solution to an acid pH lower than or equal to 3, preferably lower than or equal to 2, even more preferably lower than or equal to 0.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: ENI S.P.A.
    Inventors: Andrea Bartolini, Emilio Sentimenti
  • Publication number: 20150104361
    Abstract: There are provided processes for recovering at least one rare earth element. Such processes comprise obtaining an acidic composition comprising (i) at least one rare earth element and optionally at least one rare metal; and reacting the composition with a precipitating agent so as to substantially selectively precipitate a first rare earth element and optionally a first rare metal. For example, various rare earth elements (such as scandium, yttrium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, etc) and various rare metals (such as indium, zirconium, lithium, gallium, etc.) can be extracted by using such processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Richard Boudreault, Denis Primeau, Heinz Krivanec, Carsten Dittrich, Marie-Maxime Labrecque-Gilbert
  • Patent number: 8999506
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for synthesizing water-soluble particles, the method includes providing a solution including a lanthanide compound, a halide compound, and a first solvent; introducing a capping agent into the solution to form a mixture; heating the mixture under pressure to produce the particles; and recovering the particles from the mixture. The present invention also relates to a water-soluble particle having a surface functional group. The particles exhibit up-conversion luminescence utilizing NIR excitation, wherein the particles are synthesized in a one-pot process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
    Inventors: Jianhua Hao, Zhen-Ling Wang, Songjun Zeng, Helen L. W. Chan
  • Publication number: 20150086449
    Abstract: Provided is a method of recovering rare-earth elements by which rare-earth elements can be recovered efficiently from a bauxite residue serving as a raw material and containing the rare-earth elements. Specifically provided is a method of recovering rare-earth elements from a raw material, the raw material being a bauxite residue produced as a by-product in a Bayer process, the method including: using a bauxite residue having a specific surface area of 35 m2/g or more; adding, to the raw material bauxite residue, a liquid leaching agent formed of an aqueous solution of at least one kind of mineral acid selected from sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, and sulfurous acid, thereby preparing a slurry having a liquid-solid ratio of 2 to 30 and a pH of 0.5 to 2.2; subjecting the slurry to leaching treatment of the rare-earth elements under a temperature condition of room temperature to 160° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Publication date: March 26, 2015
    Applicant: NIPPON LIGHT METAL COMPANY, LTD.
    Inventors: Kaoru Sugita, Yasushi Kobayashi, Yoshihiro Taguchi, Satoshi Takeda, Yuji Ota, Masashi Ojiri, Kazuhiro Oda, Hiroshi Sano
  • Patent number: 8986425
    Abstract: A method for recovering rare earth compounds, vanadium and nickel from waste vanadium-nickel catalysts, comprising steps of: acid leaching, by soaking waste vanadium-nickel catalysts into a sulfuric acid solution and obtaining a mixture containing alumina silica slag; sedimentation, by filtering out the alumina silica slag from the mixture to obtain a filtrate, and then adding a salt into the filtrate to precipitate rare earth double salts followed by isolating a sediment of rare earth double salts and a liquid solution via filtration; and extraction, by providing and adding an alkali into the sediment of rare earth double salts followed by further soaking the rare earth double salts in an acid solution to precipitate rare earth oxalate or rare earth carbonate, and adding an oxidizer into the liquid solution to adjust the pH value thereof and then extracting vanadium and nickel from the liquid solution via an ion-exchange resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Hong Jing Environment Company
    Inventors: Yu-Lung Sun, Ming-Zhe Tsai, Yung-Hao Liu
  • Patent number: 8980202
    Abstract: A method of making cerium-containing metal oxide nanoparticles in non-polar solvent eliminates the need for solvent shifting steps. The direct synthesis method involves: (a) forming a reaction mixture of a source of cerous ion and a carboxylic acid, and optionally, a hydrocarbon solvent; and optionally further comprises a non-cerous metal ion; (b) heating the reaction mixture to oxidize cerous ion to ceric ion; and (c) recovering a nanoparticle of either cerium oxide or a mixed metal oxide comprising cerium. The cerium-containing oxide nanoparticles thus obtained have cubic fluorite crystal structure and a geometric diameter in the range of about 1 nanometer to about 20 nanometers. Dispersions of cerium-containing oxide nanoparticles prepared by this method can be used as a component of a fuel or lubricant additive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Inventors: Peter Jerome Cowdery-Corvan, Lyn Marie Irving, Richard Kenneth Hailstone, Kenneth Joseph Reed, Thomas Dale Allston, Carly Louise Augustyn
  • Patent number: 8961645
    Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to recovering bond coat materials and barrier coat materials from co-mingled mixtures of bond coat and barrier coat materials (e.g., plasma overspray waste), and from mixtures of co-mingled bond coat and barrier coat materials stripped from a substrate. The disclosure also relates to recovering rare earth elements (e.g., yttrium) from a barrier coat of the co-mingled plasma overspray waste or mixture of co-mingled bond coat and barrier coat materials stripped from the substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: David James Monk, Nicole Tibbetts, David Bucci, Lawrence Kool
  • Patent number: 8951486
    Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to selectively extract light rare earth metals, and by extension, europium, from an acidic solution containing a plurality of types of rare earth metal. This valuable metal extraction agent is represented by the general formula. In the formula: R1 and R2 each indicate the same or different alkyl group; R3 indicates a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group; and R4 indicates a hydrogen atom or any given group other than an amino group bonded to the ? carbon as an amino acid. Preferably, the general formula has a glycine unit, a histidine unit, a lysine unit, an aspartic acid unit, or an N-methylglycine unit. Preferably, when extracting europium using the extraction agent, the pH is adjusted into the range of 2.0-3.0 inclusive, and when selectively extracting light rare earth metals, the pH is adjusted to 1.7-2.7 inclusive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignees: Kyushu University, National University Corporation, Sumitomo Metal Mining Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiro Goto, Fukiko Kubota, Yuzo Baba
  • Patent number: 8940256
    Abstract: A method is presented for recovery, in reusable form, of rare earth minerals and zirconia from waste materials containing them. The method includes: mixing an ammonium sulfate powder and a powder containing the oxide waste material; heating the mixture to decompose the waste into a residue; dissolving the residue in water; separating rare earth constituents from the solution; and subsequently using the separated rare earth constituent (salt or solution) as a raw material. Moreover, the reactants used in the recovery may be recovered by appropriate precipitation and concentration operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Xylon Technical Ceramics, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas H. Burlingame, Samuel Burlingame
  • Patent number: 8936770
    Abstract: A mineral processing facility is provided that includes a cogen plant to provide electrical energy and waste heat to the facility and an electrochemical acid generation plant to generate, from a salt, a mineral acid for use in recovering valuable metals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Molycorp Minerals, LLC
    Inventor: John L. Burba, III