Toward Expanding the Utilisation of Deep Eutectic Solvents: Rare Earth Recovery from Primary Ores and Process Tailings

Abstract

The increasing emphasis on green chemistry has led numerous researchers to focus on environmentally friendly solvents for mineral extraction. Among them, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) have garnered significant attention due to their eco-friendly, non-toxic, and biodegradable properties. These solvents possess comparable physicochemical properties to conventional ionic liquids but are more cost-effective and environmentally friendly. While DESs have been widely studied for extracting metals from synthetic minerals and end-of-life products, its use with primary ores and associated wastes remains relatively unexplored. This study aims to bridge that gap by assessing the effectiveness of choline chloride- and ethylene glycol-based DESs in extracting rare earth elements from primary feedstocks with varied grades and mineralogy, including sub-economic ores, monazite flotation tailings, and acid-crack and leach residue. The study also examines the practical challenges in preparing DES and assesses the applicability of the solvents for primary materials. By examining both solvent preparation challenges and the variable responses of different feed materials, this work provides a high-level scoping analysis to better understand the suitability and limitations of DES for primary resource extraction. This study highlights the challenges with physical properties and mineral breakdown in using DES.