Leaching of Rare Earth Elements from Coal Ashes Using Acidophilic Chemolithotrophic Microbial Communities

摘要

A method for leaching rare earth elements from coal ash in the presence of elemental sulfur-oxidizing communities of acidophilic chemolithotrophic microorganisms was proposed. The optimal parameters determined for rare element leaching in reactors were as follows: temperature, 45°C; initial pH,2.0; pulp density, 10%; and the coal ash to elemental sulfur ratio, 10: 1. After ten days of leaching, 52.0, 52.6, and 59.5% of scandium, yttrium, and lanthanum, respectively, were recovered.