Recent advances in acid-free dissolution and separation of rare earth elements from the magnet waste

Grace Inman; Denis Prodius; Ikenna C. Nlebedim; Grace Inman; Denis Prodius; Ikenna C. Nlebedim

doi:10.3934/ctr.2021006

Clean Technologies and Recycling

2021, Volume 1, Issue 2: 112-123. doi: 10.3934/ctr.2021006

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Recent advances in acid-free dissolution and separation of rare earth elements from the magnet waste

Ames Laboratory, US Department of Energy and Critical Materials Institute, Ames, Iowa 50011-3020, USA

Received: 08 June 2021 Accepted: 25 October 2021 Published: 02 November 2021

The availability of REEs is limiting the successful deployment of some environmentally friendly and energy-efficient technologies. In 2019, the U.S. generated more than 15.25 billion pounds of e-waste. Only ~15% of it was handled, leaving ~13 billion pounds of e-waste as potential pollutants. Of the 15% collected, the lack of robust technology limited REE recovery for re-use. Key factors that drive the recycling of permanent magnets based on rare earth elements (REEs) and the results of our research on magnet recycling will be discussed, with emphasis on neodymium and samarium-based rare earth permanent magnets.
- acid-free dissolution,
- rare earth recovery,
- magnet waste recycling
Citation: Grace Inman, Denis Prodius, Ikenna C. Nlebedim. Recent advances in acid-free dissolution and separation of rare earth elements from the magnet waste[J]. Clean Technologies and Recycling, 2021, 1(2): 112-123. doi: 10.3934/ctr.2021006

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Abstract

The availability of REEs is limiting the successful deployment of some environmentally friendly and energy-efficient technologies. In 2019, the U.S. generated more than 15.25 billion pounds of e-waste. Only ~15% of it was handled, leaving ~13 billion pounds of e-waste as potential pollutants. Of the 15% collected, the lack of robust technology limited REE recovery for re-use. Key factors that drive the recycling of permanent magnets based on rare earth elements (REEs) and the results of our research on magnet recycling will be discussed, with emphasis on neodymium and samarium-based rare earth permanent magnets.

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