Transfer of rare-earth elements from coals of the Sergeevskoe deposit in solution

Samples of brown coal from the Sergeevskoe deposit (Amur region) were subjected to a series of experiments on one-stage leaching of rare earth elements with hydrochloric and acetic acids in order to determine operating parameters, which included the type of acid, its concentration and the time of contact of the acid with the coal. Extraction was carried out by varying the contact time from 15 minutes to 48 hours with constant stirring. The concentrations of hydrochloric acid used were 1 M, 3 M and 4.8 M. A high percentage of rare earth elements (74–97%) are extracted with weakly concentrated hydrochloric acid (1 M). This indicates that the main part of rare earth elements in the coal under study is presented in the form of complex compounds with fulvic and humic acids or salts that are soluble in acid solutions. The recovery of scandium at room temperature is significantly less than that of yttrium and lanthanides, which is due to the form of scandium, since it is mainly associated with silicate mineral forms. Scandium extraction almost doubles to 88.7% when heated to 75 °C. Coals from the Sergeevskoye deposit can be used as a source of rare earth elements.

Radomskaya V. I., Sorokin A. P., Shumilova L. P. Transfer of rare-earth elements from coals of the Sergeevskoe deposit in solution. MIAB. Mining Inf. Anal. Bull. 2024;(7-1):148–158. [In Russ]. DOI: 10.25018/0236_1493_2024_71_0_148.

The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation, Grant No. 22-27-00116.

V.I. Radomskaya¹, Cand. Sci. (Chem.), Leading Researcher, e-mail: radomskaya@ascnet.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0002-3023-7565,
A.P. Sorokin¹, Corresponding Member of Russian Academy of Sciences, Chief Researcher, e-mail: sorokinap@ignm.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0001-8918-3787,
L.P. Shumilova¹, Dr. Sci. (Biol.), Senior Researcher, e-mail: shumilova.85@mail.ru, ORCID ID: 0000-0003-4128-9157,
¹ Institute of Geology and Nature Management, Far Eastern Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 675000, Blagoveshchensk, Russia.

V.I. Radomskaya, e-mail: radomskaya@ascnet.ru.

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