Methods of recovering rare earth elements from a material

US10533239B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC · US

Inventors

• Robert V. Fox · Idaho Falls, US
• Bruce J. Mincher · Shelley, US
• Mary Ellen Case · Idaho Falls, US
• Donna L. Baek · Idaho Falls, US
• Chien M. Wai · Troy, US
• Clive Yen · Troy, US
• Horng-Bin Pan · Troy, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 1, 2016
• Grant date: Jan 14, 2020
• Expiry date: Nov 18, 2036

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P10/20
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method of recovering rare earth elements from a rare earth-containing material comprises contacting the rare earth-containing material with a solution formulated and configured to dissolve rare earth elements from the rare earth-containing material and form a solution including a plurality of rare earth elements dissolved therein. The method further includes exposing the solution including the plurality of rare earth elements dissolved therein to one of a liquefied gas or a supercritical fluid to isolate the rare earth elements from each other. Related methods of removing and purifying rare earth elements from materials and phosphor lamps are also disclosed.