Ionic atmosphere and temperature field–promoted dissociation and phase reconstruction of bastnaesite

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요약

Green Chem., 2026, Advance ArticleDOI: 10.1039/D5GC05704C, PaperQionghua Xie, Yifan Hao, Guocheng Yao, Cong Wang, Liangshi WangThe SO42− ionic atmosphere and thermal-field phase reconstruction enable the green and efficient recovery of both rare earth and flu…

본문

Ionic atmosphere and temperature field–promoted dissociation and phase reconstruction of bastnaesite

* Corresponding authors

a National Engineering Research Center for Environment-friendly Metallurgy in Producing Premium Non-ferrous Metals, China GRINM Group Co., Ltd, Beijing 101407, China

b School of Metallurgy, Northeastern University, Shenyang, Liaoning 110819, China

c Beijing Engineering Research Center of Strategic Nonferrous Metals Green Manufacturing Technology, GRINM Resources and Environment Tech. Co., Ltd, Beijing 101407, China
E-mail: [email protected]

d General Research Institute for Nonferrous Metals, Beijing 100088, China

e GRIMAT Engineering Institute Co., Ltd, Beijing 101407, China

Abstract

Bastnaesite serves as the primary global source mineral for light rare earth elements (LREEs). However, achieving green metallurgy in the rare earth industry still faces severe challenges, including resource wastage, environmental pollution induced by associated fluorine, and low comprehensive recovery rates of REEs. To address the critical issues of green and efficient REE extraction from bastnaesite and the comprehensive utilization of associated fluorine resources, this study proposes a novel coordinated leaching–selective precipitation strategy by introducing an SO42− ionic atmosphere and a temperature field. The results demonstrate that during the leaching process, SO42− effectively stabilizes [CeFx]4−x complexes by forming an ionic atmosphere, thereby retarding the reduction of Ce4+ and the formation of REF3. This significantly enhances the leaching efficiency of both non-cerium rare earth elements and total rare earth oxides (TREO leaching rate = 92%). Simultaneously, leveraging phase reconstruction under the temperature field enables regulation of the precipitation transition from [CeFx]4−x → CeF3, achieving a fluorine recovery rate >98% and yielding high-purity CeF3 (D50 = 1.3–1.9 μm). This process achieves highly efficient separation and extraction of rare earth elements, cerium, and associated fluorine. The proposed ionic atmosphere model provides a reference for developing short-process, green, and clean bastnaesite metallurgy, advancing the sustainable utilization of both rare earth and fluorine resources.