Study of extraction of rare earth elements from hard coal fly ash

Abstract

Rare earth elements (REEs) extraction from wastes and/or by-products is alternative possibility of their winning. The occurrence of REEs, namely 50.1 ppm of La, 100.1 ppm of Ce and 44.3 ppm of Nd was confirmed in solid fly ash samples from the coal fired heating plant (TEKO, Inc. Kosice, eastern Slovakia). The submitted contribution presents laboratory results of REEs leaching from coal fly ash using 3M HCl, HNO3, H2SO4 and H3PO4 at 80 degrees C during 120 min. It was found, that recoveries 65.5% of La, 64.4% Ce and 64.3% of Nd into liquor may be attained after grain size reduction to below 5 mu m.