A new technology for extracting rare earth metals (REM) has been developed in Russia.
It was developed by the mining division of State Corporation Rosatom, with specialists from JSC Atomredmetzoloto and OJSC Solikamsk Magnesium Plant participating in the research.
Commissioned by JSC Rusredmet, they jointly completed a strategically important project for Russian industry in a year and a half. Thanks to this technology, Solikamsk Magnesium Plant (SMZ, an enterprise of the mining division of Rosatom) will organize the production of cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium, and a concentrate of medium-heavy rare earth elements (samarium, gadolinium, europium) on its territory.
How does the technology work?
It is based on loparite concentrate, which is mined and processed by another enterprise of the division - LLC Lovozersky GOK. After enrichment, the concentrate is sent to Solikamsk. There, niobium, tantalum, and titanium are separated from it, and the remaining significant rare earth metals (lanthanides) remain in the collective concentrate.
The REM carbonate concentrate produced by JSC SMZ is dissolved in nitric acid. This results in a nitrate solution of rare earth elements. Cerium is extracted from it by electro-oxidation and subsequent extraction. From the remaining solution, other rare earth elements are sequentially extracted using extraction separation. Then come the stages of precipitation, drying, and calcination. The laboratory confirmed the purity and quality of the obtained rare earth elements.
Why is this important?
The production of cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium, and a concentrate of medium-heavy rare earth elements in Russia will allow import substitution of REM for the production of magnets, petrochemical catalysts, and other high-tech products.
In addition, SMZ will restore the complete production chain and will produce metallic tantalum in ingots. Domestic metallic tantalum will allow the production of various forms of rolled products and powders for the Russian electronics industry in the required quantity.
The completion of the technology development gives the start to the implementation of the next project - the design and construction of a large separation production facility at SMZ. To ensure the supply of raw materials for production, we will simultaneously increase the volume of mining at Lovozersky GOK. For this purpose, the implementation of a project to develop new underground horizons of the Karnasurt mine has already begun, it is planned to develop placer deposits in the northern foothills of the Lovozersky massif, and the processing plant is being modernized. Our strategic task is to ensure the complete raw material independence of high-tech industries of the Russian industry with rare earth metals.
A pilot plant with a capacity of up to 1.5 tons of rare earth metals per year has already been built, and an analytical laboratory has been organized.
