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Ionic Adsorption Clay (IAC) |
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Soft material, negligible (if any) blasting Elevated HREO/CREO relative to TREO head grade Lower grade TREO (0.04 – 0.3 % TREO)
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Hard rock; Bastnaesite and Monazite (LREO dominant); Xenotime (HREO dominant) High La,Cecomponent of TREO head grade, ~ 5% HREO content Higher grade TREO (> 0.7% TREO)
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Surface mining (0-20 m), 3 m of cover Minimal stripping of waste material (strip ratio = 0.8) Progressive rehabilitation of mined areas
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No milling Simple process plant, bulk process methods Potential for static or in-situ leaching Low reagent consumption at ambient temperature
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Comminution, Intensive crushing and grinding required to liberate REE minerals Beneficiation via simple screening a possible option Expensive (flotation) reagents and utilities required to produce mineral concentrate
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Mixed high-grade rare earth carbonate, +90% TREO grade product Low La,Ce content (25-30%), high HREO/CREO content (70-75%), high basket value (US$39/kg REO) Magnet metals ~ 33.3% (including 5% Dy+Tb) High margin product
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Mixed REE mineral concentrate (typically 20 – 40% TREO grade), gangue entrainment requires high product transport costs High La,Ce content (~70%), low basket value per kg of product (US$13-20/kg REO) Requires substantial processing (i.e. cracking) before suitable for feed to rare earth separation plant Low margin product if mineral concentrate only
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Processing - Environmental |
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Processing - Refinery(Typically not on Mining site) |
Mixed rare earth carbonate, +90% TREO grade product a highly desirable feedstock directly into rare earth separation plant Simple acid solubilisation followed by conventional REE separation Complex recycling of reagents and water
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High temperature mineral “cracking” using strong reagents to solubilise the refractory REE minerals Complex capital-intensive plant required, i.e. high capex requirement Radionuclide issues follow REE mineral concentrates to cracking plant Social licence to operate concerns re radioactive tailings
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(20min delay)