Extracting rare-earth elements from coal could soon be economical in US

[mountaineer]

Extracting rare-earth elements from coal could soon be economical in US
by Staff Writers, Space Daily
University Park PA (SPX) Feb 08, 2016

Using byproducts of coal production from the Northern Appalachian region of the U.S., the team investigated whether a chemical process called ion exchange could extract REEs in a safer manner than other extraction methods.

The U.S. could soon decrease its dependence on importing valuable rare-earth elements that are widely used in many industries, according to a team of Penn State and U.S. Department of Energy researchers who found a cost-effective and environmentally friendly way to extract these metals from coal byproducts.

Rare-earth elements are a set of seventeen metals - such as scandium, yttrium, lanthanum and cerium - necessary to produce high-tech equipment used in health care, transportation, electronics and numerous other industries.

They support more than $329 billion of economic output in North America, according to the American Chemistry Council, and the United States Geological Survey expects worldwide demand for REEs to grow more than 5 percent annually through 2020. China produces more than 85 percent of the world's rare-earth elements, and the U.S. produces the second most at just over 6 percent, according to the USGS.

"We have known for many decades that rare-earth elements are found in coal seams and near other mineral veins," said Sarma Pisupati, professor of energy and mineral engineering, Penn State.

"However, it was costly to extract the materials and there was relatively low demand until recently. Today, we rely on rare-earth elements for the production of many necessary and also luxury items, including computers, smart phones, rechargeable batteries, electric vehicles, magnets and chemical catalysts. We wanted to take a fresh look at the feasibility of extracting REEs from coal because it is so abundant in the U.S."

Using byproducts of coal production from the Northern Appalachian region of the U.S., the team investigated whether a chemical process called ion exchange could extract REEs in a safer manner than other extraction methods.

For example, past research has examined "roasting," a process that is energy intensive and requires exposure to concentrated acids. In contrast, ion exchange is more environmentally friendly and requires less energy. Ion exchange involves rinsing the coal with a solution that releases the REEs that are bound to the coal.

"Essentially, REEs are sticking to the surface of molecules found in coal, and we use a special solution to pluck them out," said Pisupati. "We experimented with many solvents to find one that is both inexpensive and environmentally friendly."

The team reported in their findings, published in the current issue of Metallurgical and Materials Transactions E, that ammonium sulfate was both environmentally friendly and able to extract the highest amount of REEs. Extracting 2 percent of the available REEs would provide an economic boon to companies, the team said.

"We were able to very easily extract 0.5 percent of REEs in this preliminary study using a basic ion exchange method in the lab," said Pisupati. We are confident that we can increase that to 2 percent through advanced ion exchange methods."

The researchers used coal byproducts in their study, some of which were discarded or marked as refuse during mining operations due to poor quality. Finding more uses for discarded coal could provide yet another economic benefit to companies.

In their study, the team also identified the locations within the coal seam that contained the highest amounts of REEs. Often the highest concentration is found in the poorest quality coal, said Pisupati.

"You find some REEs in the coal itself, but the highest concentration is in what we call the coal shale, or the top layer of a coal seam. Knowing this, we can further target our operations to be more efficient," he said.

The team is now collaborating with several Pennsylvania coal-mining companies to explore the viability of a commercial REE-extraction operation.

I just learned that a college mate of Mr. M's has been instrumental in this endeavor. Good work - assuming Obama doesn't shut down mining altogether.

[alicewonders]

I was wondering why George Soros was buying coal stock now that it's dirt cheap if Obama was going to do away with coal. 

 

[Free Vulcan]

I was wondering why George Soros was buying coal stock now that it's dirt cheap if Obama was going to do away with coal. 

 

Funny how that all worked out isn't it?

[mountaineer]

I was wondering why George Soros was buying coal stock now that it's dirt cheap if Obama was going to do away with coal. 

 

[flowers]

I was wondering why George Soros was buying coal stock now that it's dirt cheap if Obama was going to do away with coal. 

 

yep.....this must be the reason.

[mountaineer]

Meanwhile (guest editorial):

Montana poised to maintain coal production, export
JASON SMALL
 Feb 6, 2016


Thirty million dollars a year in lost royalties, hundreds of direct jobs lost, thousands of families out of work and out of options, entire towns destroyed, statewide economic ripples, and over $1 trillion dollars in stranded assets, not necessarily because of market forces, but directly attributable to a political agenda. That is what we face in the current and unprecedented assault on reason and Montana’s economy in what has been dubbed “the War on Coal.”

The coal tax fund is a resource for Montana’s school children, projects to improve disabled citizen’s access, local parks, and helps to maintain some of rural Montana's way of life. While environmental groups applaud coal’s demise, Montanans will start to feel the impact.

Apparently now the Billing’s Gazette’s editorial board sees fit to join with the environmental extremist in advocating a "keep it in the ground" strategy. According to the Gazette editorial board, Montana’s schools, communities and people are disposable assets, relics of the past in an environmentalist utopia built on the bones of our “dirty” energy economy.

Editors at the Billings Gazette are following a radical path of destruction for the Montana economy, as they did in the recent editorial “Montana can’t stake its future on coal.” The Gazette now seems to celebrate the demise of Colstrip along with the Sierra Club.

The activist rhetoric in this biased editorial against the 75 percent of Montanans who think we should develop our coal resources as we see fit in Montana is deplorable and downright irresponsible. The tone deaf nature of the anti-coal, anti-Montana propaganda being produced by the Gazette editorial board as its readers face an uncertain future brought on by regulatory assaults designed explicitly to destroy an entire industry should not be a point for celebration in Montana.

Environmental extremists say Sen. Steve Daines, Gov. Steve Bullock, and Attorney General Tim Fox are wrong about defending coal leases and a future for Colstrip using clean coal technology. These unreasonable voices don’t realize Montana can lead a technology revolution for addressing our global climate challenge. These voices say that there is no price too high to pay to make a meaningless gesture like Obama’s carbon crusade that will, even by its own designer’s standards have no discernible impact on the global climate.

Daines, Bullock and Fox are right, and representing Montana's best interests. The Gazette editorial board is out of touch and lacking foresight. With advancements in technology and a little elbow grease Montana is still poised to maintain its place as an energy producer and exporter without crippling our fine state.

Carbon capture and combined cycle technology can solve the global climate challenge posed in part by the world’s more than 7,000 coal-fired power plants. At Colstrip, the Boilermakers and other building trades crafts (who have improved and maintained the facility since it was built) are the type of craftsmen who can be counted on to build and install the design changes needed to keep these plants operational to 2030 and beyond. We know that by applying our knowledge and expertise we can build a Montana made Colstrip demonstration project for carbon capture technology that is directly employable to clean up coal plants around the world.

Putting our head in the sand and saying we have to sacrifice our Montana way of life and economy to achieve a clean energy future is ludicrous, and a part of the destructive extreme, non-compromising logic I dream of seeing come to an end.

Jason Small, of Busby, Montana is president of Boilermakers Local 11, a cattle rancher, and a member of the Northern Cheyenne Tribe

[MajorClay]

Intersting   

[eartick]

Watch for China to be buying up coal mines in the near future or if they have not been already.

China did this with NG mineral royalties prior to Congress passing the laws okaying the sell of liquefied petroleum gas oversees.  Now China can export their (our) wealth oversees in the NG market.

With the REEs, they do not have to ship it anywhere, they just sell it here.   

[thackney]

China did this with NG mineral royalties prior to Congress passing the laws okaying the sell of liquefied petroleum gas oversees.  Now China can export their (our) wealth oversees in the NG market.

LPG, as well as LNG, has been exported for decades, just not in great quantities.  The recent change by congress was to permit crude oil exports from additional sources.

U.S. Exports of Liquified Petroleum Gases
http://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&s=MLPEXUS1&f=M

Liquefied U.S. Natural Gas Exports
http://www.eia.gov/dnav/ng/hist/n9133us2a.htm

On December 18, 2015, the U.S. enacted legislation authorizing the export of U.S. crude oil without a license. Exports to embargoed or sanctioned countries continue to require authorization. Prior to December 2015, crude oil exports were restricted to: (1) crude oil derived from fields under the State waters of Alaska's Cook Inlet; (2) Alaskan North Slope crude oil; (3) certain domestically produced crude oil destined for Canada; (4) shipments to U.S. territories; and (5) California crude oil to Pacific Rim countries.

[alicewonders]

Hillary's pushing for the Carbon Capture and I guess this explains why George Soros is buying coal company stocks now that they've hit rock-bottom.