Mine to Magnets – Securing a Supply of Rare Earth Elements from Volcanic Tuffs for UK Magnet Manufacture

从矿山到磁铁 — 确保从火山凝灰岩中为英国磁铁制造商提供稀土元素

• 批准号: 10078460
• 金额: $ 46.38万
• 依托单位: SELOXIUM LIMITED
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Feasibility Studies
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10078460
• 关键词: Mine; Magnets; Securing; Supply; Rare

The UK needs to ensure a robust and secure supply of various critical materials, among which Rare Earth Elements (REE) are classed as the most critical due to their various uses in permanent magnets, high strength alloys and other high-tech applications. REE are particularly critical as they are sourced from a relatively small number of countries other than the UK and hence their supply is not guaranteed in times of geopolitical tension.This project focuses on a novel source of REE which is so far not used for REE enrichment although it is plentiful and rich in REE -- volcanic tuffs. Volcanic tuffs are igneous rocks formed during volcanic eruptions and found commonly in areas of volcanic activity. A particular type of volcanic tuff rich in REE has been identified in geothermal fields by the Earth Science Department of the University of Oxford. A feasibility study is funded by this project to investigate whether it is possible to extract REE from such volcanic tuffs without the need to excavate the rock and destroy local fauna and flora. The idea is to leach the REE from underground geothermal wells using the existing equipment and techniques deployed by geothermal powerplant operators. The leached REE then need to be extracted from the geothermal brine and refined using a scalable and cost-effective method. A novel method is proposed here to achieve this using SelectalTM, a multi-patented platform technology developed by Seloxium Ltd. that can selectively flocculate target metals from aqueous solutions.Conventional methods of mining and refining REE have the disadvantages of high energy consumption, low selectivity, high operating cost, and formation of secondary pollutants. Hence, an alternative process is proposed in this application via a novel coupled leaching--refining system with Seloxium's technology. The SelectalTM process can produce a high purity metal at a cost, purity, scale, and speed not attainable using competing technologies.This is a collaborative project between aqua-mining company Seloxium Ltd. and The University of Oxford - focusing on a 2-step methodology to obtain critical REE for magnets from a completely novel source and refine them in a green and sustainable way, boosting the REE supply chain for the UK.

英国需要确保各种关键材料的强大而安全的供应，其中稀土元素（REE）被归类为最关键的，因为它们在永久磁铁，高强度合金和其他高科技应用中的各种用途。 REE特别关键，因为它们来自英国以外的相对较少的国家，因此在地缘政治紧张时期无法保证它们的供应。该项目重点介绍了一个新颖的REE来源，迄今为止，该项目尚未用于REE富集，尽管它充满了REE丰富而丰富的Ree -Ree -Volcanic Tuffs。火山凝灰岩是火山喷发过程中形成的火成岩，通常在火山活动的地区发现。牛津大学的地球科学系在地热领域中发现了一种特殊的火山凝灰岩。该项目资助了一项可行性研究，以调查是否可以从这种火山凝灰岩中提取REE，而无需挖掘岩石并破坏当地的动植物。这个想法是使用地热动力运营商部署的现有设备和技术从地下地热井中浸出REE。然后，需要从地热盐水中提取浸出的REE，并使用可伸缩且具有成本效益的方法进行完善。这里提出了一种新的方法，可以使用SelectalTM（由Seloxium Ltd.开发的一种多项式平台技术实现此目的，该技术可以选择性地从水溶液中倾斜目标金属。采矿和炼油REE的规定方法具有高能量消耗，低选择性，低选择性，低选择性，运营成本，以及高二级污染物的形成。因此，在本应用程序中提出了一个替代过程，该过程通过新型的耦合浸出系统（使用硒硅技术的技术）进行了改造。 SelectAltm过程可以使用竞争技术产生高纯度金属，纯度，规模和速度无法实现。这是Aqua开采公司Seloxium Ltd.和Oxford University of Aqua-Mining Company Seloxium Ltd.和of of of Seloxium ltd.之间的合作项目 - 着重于2步方法，以从完全新颖的方法中获得关键的REE，并在绿色和可持续的供应范围内为其提供磁源的关键REE，并在供应中供应供应。