A leading researcher from the Natural Resource
Department of the China Geological Survey Rare Earth Resource Applied
Technology Development Center, part of the Chinese Geological Survey Chengdu
Mineral Comprehensive Use Research Center, has announced a new technological
method for detecting underground rare earth resources by implementing a new
fluorite and magnetic flotation method.
During the 1960s, the first flotation method
for ore extraction was implemented at the Mountain Pass rare earth mine of the
United States. This mining operation separated bastnaesite,
light rare earth element, from other materials with a froth flotation method
using fatty acids collector. This method
can be considered a prototype of rare earth extraction technology. During the
1980s, China’s Baiyun Ebo rare earth mine was the first to extract bastnaesite
and monazite ore by using a heated naphthalenecarboxamide froth flotation
method, which can be considered as an upgrade to the previous technology.
Afterward, this technology became China’s mainstream technology for bastnaesite
rare earth ores and was utilized at many mines.
New
technology greener and cheaper than previous technology
This new “rare earth fluorite synergistic
technology” can be considered as a highly efficient upgrade to the previous
rare earth utilization technology. China’s classical bastnaesite rare earth resources are usually found together with
fluorite ore, and as the tactics for finding fluorite ore become more
optimized, researchers are changing their focus from extraction technology for
rare earth elements to extraction technology that extracts rare earth elements
and fluorite together. Additionally, traditional naphthalenecarboxamide heating
froth flotation technology consumes excessive energy during heating, and
bastnaesite and monazite ore extraction is not environmentally friendly, and
the recycling process is complex and hard to control.
In order to address the obstacles mentioned
above, the Rare-Earth Resource Applied Technology Development Center research
team has spent three years of tireless work and has innovatively developed this
new “rare earth fluorite synergistic technology.” This technology is environmentally
friendly, causes little carbon emission, and offers a green way of extracting rare
earth elements and fluorite from ore. Furthermore, the extraction process is
short and simple, and the technology is well suited for separating fluorite
from alkaline earth metals.
New rare
earth extraction technology to solidify China’s position in rare earth global
market
Presently, this technology has already
completely laboratory trials and has been successful in obtaining high quality
rare earth elements and fluorite. The technology is currently undergoing field
tests in several mines in the Panxi District of Sichuan. The proponents of this
new technology hope to expand this technology to the Baiyun Ebo rare earth
mines, as it would offer a green alternative to the current technology in the
hard boulder rare earth mines. It is expected that this new technology will spur high quality
development in China’s rare earth element industry.
Rare earth elements usually naturally occur as
mineral deposits and possess metallic chemical properties. Rare earth elements
are essential ingredients used in producing high-tech consumer electronics and
military equipment. It is estimated that approximately 30% of worldwide rare
earth deposits belong to China. Rare earth elements are used in a wide variety
of products, such as phones, electric cars, aircraft turbine engines, and
missile navigation systems. However, extraction of rare earth metals is
expensive and causes considerable damage to the environment. China leads the
world in rare earth element exports, and a large portion of the world’s
militaries, including the American military, relies on Chinese production for
obtaining rare earth elements.
For more information for China’s fluorite
market, please check our Fluorine
Resources or email emarket1@cnchemicals.com.