About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Rare Metal Extraction & Processing
|
| Presentation Title |
Comparison of Magnetite Adsorbents for use in the Separation of Rare Earth Elements from Aqueous Solution |
| Author(s) |
Robert West, Jerry Downey, Grant Wallace, Teagan Leitzke |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Robert West |
| Abstract Scope |
Rare earth elements (REEs) are essential to advanced technologies, yet their separation and recovery remain costly and inefficient. This study evaluated REE adsorption from aqueous solution using unfunctionalized magnetite (Fe3O4) and surface-functionalized variants with amine (Fe3O4-NH₂) and carboxylic acid (Fe3O4-COOH) groups. Single-element tests showed rapid uptake, with >99% removal within minutes. Kinetic modeling of unfunctionalized Fe3O4 fit the pseudo-second-order model (Rē > 0.99), indicating chemisorption controlled by surface-site availability. Concentration and dosage studies confirmed the importance of the adsorbent-to-adsorbate ratio, as lower REE levels and higher particle loadings improved removal, while multi-element systems showed reduced efficiencies from competitive adsorption. Lanthanum exhibited lower uptake at high concentrations, particularly with functionalized particles, suggesting potential for selective separation. Results demonstrate that unfunctionalized Fe3O4 enables efficient bulk REE removal, while functionalization offers opportunities to tailor selectivity for integration into continuous flow material recovery (CFMR) systems for scalable REE separation. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Extraction and Processing, Hydrometallurgy, Recycling and Secondary Recovery |