About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2027 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Rare Metal Extraction & Processing
|
| Presentation Title |
Critical Material Recovery From Industrial Bauxite Residue |
| Author(s) |
Kelly E. Cohen, Carrie Siu, John N. Hryn, Michael J. Dziekan |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Kelly E. Cohen |
| Abstract Scope |
This project establishes a multi-product recovery platform for critical materials, including rare earth elements (neodymium, scandium, and yttrium), from industrial bauxite residue (or red mud), which is a byproduct of aluminum production and an emerging unconventional secondary resource. The process begins with selective methane reduction of hematite (Fe₂O₃) to magnetite (Fe₃O₄), converting about half of the bauxite residue into a ferrimagnetic phase. This enables efficient magnetic separation, removing the bulk iron fraction and effectively doubling the rare earth concentration in the non-magnetic portion. The magnetite-rich fraction can be further processed to recover metallic iron, while the non-magnetic fraction can be used to isolate rare earth elements. The materials were characterized using SEM-EDS, oxygen analysis, and magnetic property measurements before and after processing. By extracting multiple materials from a single source, this strategy reduces reliance on foreign supply, strengthens supply chains, and alleviates environmental and logistical challenges of bauxite residue storage. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Recycling and Secondary Recovery, Process Technology, Magnetic Materials |