Raw materials used in green technologies could be reclaimed from waste processes

Rare-earth oxides, which are present in titanium dioxide minerals, are essential to the manufacture of wind turbines, energy-efficient lighting, and hybrid and electric cars, amongst other things. Currently, China has the monopoly over the rare-earth oxide market. This however, may be about to change.

Researchers at Leeds University, UK, have discovered that rare-earth oxides can be extracted or reclaimed from the waste materials of other industrial processes. The research team, lead by Professor Animesh Jha, made the discovery by accident. Whilst fine-tuning an industrial process to extract higher yields of titanium dioxide and refine it to 99 per cent purity, they found that co-products of the refining process included significant quantities of rare-earth metal oxides.

“Our recovery rate varies between 60 and 80 per cent, although through better process engineering we will be able to recover more in the future,” says Professor Jha. “But already, the recovery of oxides of neodymium (Nd), cerium (Ce) and lanthanum (La), from the waste products - which are most commonly found with titanium dioxide minerals - is an impressive environmental double benefit.”

The discovery comes at a fortuitous time, as the demand for such materials currently outstrips supply.

For further information on the research, contact Jo Kelly at jokelly@campuspr.co.uk

Published: Tuesday, 15th December 2009 by Tom Freeman

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