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Patent US10669610
Issued 2020-06-02
Rare Earth Element Extraction From Coal
A method includes contacting a coal feedstock with an acidic solution to form residual coal and a leachate. The method further includes separating the residual coal from the leachate where the leachate contains rare earth elements and where the residual coal has preserved organic content and reduced inorganic content. Another method includes contacting a coal feedstock with a basic solution to form residual coal and a leachate. The method further includes separating the residual coal from the leachate where the leachate contains rare earth elements.
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- 1. A method comprising:
contacting a coal feedstock with an acidic solution to form a residual coal and a leachate; and separating the residual coal from the leachate, wherein the leachate contains rare earth elements, and wherein the residual coal has preserved organic content and reduced inorganic content such that an ash content of the residual coal will be reduced during combustion.
- 19. A method comprising:
contacting a coal feedstock with ammonium acetate or other ion exchange solution; contacting the coal feedstock with an acidic solution to form a residual coal and a leachate; and separating the residual coal from the leachate, wherein the leachate contains rare earth elements, and wherein the residual coal has preserved organic content and reduced inorganic content such that an ash content of the residual coal will be reduced during combustion.
