Back to results
US 9,376,735 B2Granted
Methods and systems for recovering rare earth elements
AssigneeUniversity of Houston System
InventorsAllan J. Jacobson, Pradeep Samarasekere
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and systems for recovering or extracting rare earth elements under mild conditions include subjecting a material including rare earth element to a rare earth element crystallization medium under solvothermal conditions sufficient to form rare earth element crystals capable of gravity separation and purification.
Claims33
A composition comprising:
- a material including rare earth elements, a rare earth element crystallization medium, and rare earth metal crystals,
- where the rare earth metal crystals comprise rare earth metal formates or rare earth metal oxides and where the crystallization medium comprises 80 vol. % to 100 vol. % of at least one amide, 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % of at least one organic acid, and 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % water.
A method for recovering rare earth elements from a material including containing rare earth elements comprising:
- adding the material and a rare earth element crystallization medium into a temperature and pressure controlled vessel under solvothermal conditions sufficient to selectively crystallize the rare earth elements to form a rare earth metal crystals capable of being gravity separated,
- where the crystallization medium comprises 80 vol. % to 100 vol. % of at least one amide, 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % of at least one organic acid, and 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % water.
The method of clam 5, further comprising:
- gravity separating the rare earth metal crystals to form a rare earth crystalline solid composition.
The method of clam 6, further comprising:
- purifying the rare earth metal crystalline solid composition.
A method for recovering rare earth elements from a material including containing rare earth elements comprising:
- mixing the material with a rare earth element crystallization medium in a temperature and pressure controlled vessel under solvothermal conditions sufficient to selectively crystallize the rare earth elements to form rare earth metal crystals capable of being gravity separated, and
- gravity separating the rare earth metal crystals to form a rare earth crystalline solid composition,
- where the crystallization medium comprises 80 vol. % to 100 vol. % of at least one amide, 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % of at least one organic acid, and 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % water.
The method of clam 13, further comprising:
- purifying the rare earth metal crystalline solid composition.
A process for recovering rare earth elements from cathode ray tube (CRT) phosphors comprising:
- obtaining CRT monitors,
- removing phosphor material from CRT lenses to form a powered phosphor material,
- calcining the powered phosphor material to form a calcined phosphor material,
- reacting the calcined phosphor material with a rare earth element crystallization medium,
- solid/liquid separating in a solid/liquid separator to form a solid material,
- separating the solid material in a solid/solid density separator using a density separation medium, and
- separating the solid material into a residual solid material and a rare earth element containing solid material,
- where the crystallization medium comprises 80 vol. % to 100 vol. % of at least one amide, 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % of at least one organic acid, and 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % water.
5 more elements
A process for recovering rare earth elements from a mercury free waste phosphor material comprising:
- obtaining a mercury free waste phosphor material,
- separating the mercury free waste phosphor material in a solid/solid density separator using a density separation medium into a rare earth element rich, mercury free waste phosphor material,
- calcining the rare earth element rich, mercury free waste phosphor material to form a calcined rare earth element rich, mercury free waste phosphor material,
- reacting the calcined rare earth element rich, mercury free waste phosphor material with a rare earth element crystallization medium to form rare earth element crystals,
- solid/liquid separating in a solid/liquid separator to form a solid material, and
- separating the solid material in a solid/solid density separator using a density separation medium to form a rare earth element containing solid material,
- where the crystallization medium comprises 80 vol. % to 100 vol. % of at least one amide, 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % of at least one organic acid, and 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % water.
4 more elements
A process for recovering rare earth elements from NiMH batteries comprising:
- obtaining rare earth containing battery material,
- comminuting the battery material to form a comminuted magnetic material,
- reacting the comminuted battery material with a rare earth element crystallization medium to form rare earth element crystals,
- solid/liquid separating in a solid/liquid separator to form a solid material,
- separating the solid material in a solid/solid magnetic separator using a magnetic field to form a rare earth element containing solid material and/or separating the solid material in a solid/solid density separator using a density separation medium to form a rare earth element containing solid material,
- where the crystallization medium comprises 80 vol. % to 100 vol. % of at least one amide, 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % of at least one organic acid, and 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % water.
3 more elements
A process for recovering rare earth elements from magnets comprising:
- obtaining magnets for hard disk drives,
- comminuting the magnets to form a comminuted magnetic material,
- reacting the comminuted magnetic material with a rare earth element crystallization medium to form rare earth element crystals,
- solid/liquid separating in a solid/liquid separator to form a solid material,
- separating the solid material in a solid/solid magnetic separator using a magnetic field to form a rare earth element containing solid material,
- where the crystallization medium comprises 80 vol. % to 100 vol. % of at least one amide, 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % of at least one organic acid, and 0 vol. % to 10 vol. % water.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.