The review is focused on ion adsorption clays, but it is also applicable to Lynas's challenges, esp if you skip directly to Section 2.2 after the introduction and just imagine the trouble being 10X worse and involving more iron and calcium than aluminum. Rest of article is also germane. Note that like Al, both Fe and Ca will precipitate with oxalic acid posing a similar problem.
I believe "world-first rare earth carbonate refining process" is the phrase used to describe at least one of the changes being made to the flow sheet at KAL ops, but it is not the only one. They have likely tweaked all the boxes but are keeping details very close to the vest as expected.
I remain hopeful that they have discovered a novel means by which the HREE recovery challenges (chemical, financial, environmental) can be resolved.
The Japanese would have signed off on the expansion of Lynas 2025 scope from 10500 to 12000 tpa NdPr with the knowledge 1500 tpa was going to the US in addition to the HREEs that US-DOD was in need of securing. It is illogical for Lynas to build a 1/10th-scale LREE refinery when it will raise the COP of their NdPr. Thus I am forced to the conclusion that the LREEs being sent to the US are an unavoidable "contaminant" of a new high-value HREE MREC that will be produced at KAL to be sent directly to US ops. That would make the "afterthought" LREE add-on refinery part of a very well thought-out & right-sized overall solution that satisfies both Japanese investors and nascent US interests.
If I follow that logic, I am arguing against my hope that the LAMP will be taking on full HREE refining in the immediate future. That's life. Life is good that way.
LYC Price at posting:
$8.68 Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
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