Organic Acid Leaching Agent for Ion-Adsorption Rare Earth Ore
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for leaching rare earth elements from ion-adsorption type rare earth ores (IAREOs) are inefficient, particularly for colloidal sediment and mineral phases, leading to resource waste, as they primarily target ion-exchangeable phases and require excessive leaching agents.
Innovation Solution
The use of an organic acid-containing leaching agent, comprising organic acids like ascorbic acid, gluconic acid, and water-soluble salts, which facilitates comprehensive leaching of all rare earth phases by inhibiting re-adsorption and dissolving colloidal and mineral phases through ion exchange and complexation, reducing agent dosage and environmental impact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional ion exchange leaching agents (ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate) are used, then ion-exchangeable phase rare earths can be leached, but colloidal sediment phase and mineral phase rare earths remain poorly leached, causing resource waste
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite leaching agents combining organic acids (ascorbic acid, gluconic acid, citric acid, etc.) with traditional inorganic leaching agents (ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate). This composite approach enables the organic acid component to dissolve colloidal and mineral phases while the inorganic salt component performs ion exchange, achieving comprehensive leaching of all three rare earth phases simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the leaching agent by introducing organic acids with specific functional groups and redox properties. These parameter changes enable the leaching agent to interact with different chemical forms of rare earths through multiple mechanisms including complexation, reduction, and ion exchange, thereby improving overall leaching efficiency
2Productivity
If leaching assistants (fulvic acid, humic acid) are added to enhance leaching, then some improvement is achieved, but colloidal sediment phase and mineral phase rare earths still show poor leaching efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent selects specific organic acids (ascorbic acid, gluconic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactobionic acid) with optimized molecular structures and concentrations. These acids have specific functional group configurations and redox potentials that enable effective dissolution of colloidal and mineral phases, overcoming the limitations of conventional leaching assistants
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite leaching system integrating multiple organic acids with traditional inorganic leaching agents. This composite formulation synergistically combines the phase-dissolving capability of organic acids with the ion-exchange efficiency of inorganic salts, achieving comprehensive leaching that neither component could accomplish alone
3Productivity
If magnetic field, external electric field, or ultrasonic wave techniques are used during leaching, then rare earth leaching efficiency may be improved, but these methods are difficult to apply in practical engineering due to environmental constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex physical field systems (magnetic field, electric field, ultrasonic waves) with a chemically-based solution. The organic acid-containing leaching agent achieves enhanced leaching through chemical mechanisms (complexation, reduction, dissolution) that are simpler to implement and control in practical mining operations, eliminating the need for sophisticated equipment and environmental controls
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enhances the leaching efficiency of full-phase rare earths, reduces resource waste, and promotes ecological restoration by using organic acids that can be decomposed by indigenous microorganisms, thereby offering a green and efficient leaching method.
Implementation Method 1
The mining is essentially an ion exchange reaction between leaching agent cations and hydrated rare earth ions or hydroxyl hydrated rare earth ions adsorbed onto clay minerals
Implementation Method 2
The organic acid-containing leaching agent could realize comprehensive enhanced leaching of the ion-exchangeable phase rare earth, colloidal sediment phase rare earth, and mineral phase rare earth
Implementation Method 3
uses organic acids that can be decomposed by indigenous microorganisms
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are use of an organic acid-containing leaching agent in leaching from an ion-adsorption type rare earth ore and method for leaching full-phase rare earth. A leaching agent containing a reducing organic acid or its compound leaching agent with a chemical leaching agent is used, and H+ or H+-cations in chemical leaching agent undergoes ion exchange so as to leach out an ion-exchangeable phase rare earth. Organic acid anions could complex with rare earth ions to reduce re-adsorption of rare earth ions onto clay minerals. The reducing organic acid could also realize dissolution and leaching of easily dissolved colloidal sediment phase rare earths and mineral phase rare earths. Rare earths that are difficult to dissolve are reduced by the reducing organic acid to form low-valent rare earth ions and leached out, thereby achieving simultaneous enhanced leaching of rare earths from ion-exchangeable phase, colloidal sediment phase, and mineral phase.