Scientific Research Network for CSM Research Results, Global CSM Issues, Printed Circuits, Defence and Rare Earth Separation

Innord has developed an innovative extraction and recycling process for the recovery of rare earth elements (Ce, Pr, La, Nd, and Sc) from ores and mine tailings, as well as hydrochloric acid (HCl) from metal chlorides, using a low-cost and regenerable protic acid. The process has been further optimized to operate under simpler and more economical conditions, making it easier to scale up and more cost-effective than conventional acid regeneration methods.

Quebec produces 90% of Canada’s aluminum, approximately 2.8 Mt annually. However, this production generates waste that must be managed responsibly. Among these are spent potlining (SPL), which is produced at the end of the life cycle of electrolysis cells and consists of graphitized carbon blocks (cathodes) and refractory bricks contaminated by electrolyte bath materials.

Rio Tinto’s SPL treatment plant, located in Jonquière, can process up to 80,000 tonnes of SPL annually to generate inert and recoverable by-products. Previous pilot tests have shown that the carbon-based by-product can reach graphite concentrations close to 90% by adding a flotation step to the current industrial process.

The goal of the current project is to use this floated material and develop new purification processes—either hydrometallurgical or pyrometallurgical—that could upgrade the by-product to a battery-grade graphite. To carry out this project, and with financial support from CRITM, Rio Tinto has partnered with Canadian research groups that possess the technical and scientific expertise in graphite purification and battery performance testing. A mandate has also been given to the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi to analyze graphite purification scenarios from a life cycle perspective and compare them to existing supply chains.

Recycling end-of-life Li-ion batteries, as well as production scrap, is a strategic step for building a strong circular economy. Until now, efforts to develop recycling processes have mainly focused on recovering metals contained in the black mass produced by recyclers. However, the recovery of used graphite represents both a major technological challenge and a strategic opportunity for the industry. We have demonstrated that our purification process, GraphRenew^TM, can effectively remove impurities present in used graphite from several black mass sources, and achieve purity levels compatible with Li-ion batteries requirements. We will present the physicochemical properties of used and purified graphite, as well as their electrochemical performance evaluated in coin cells. Finally, we will discuss our main conclusions and the future directions for graphite regeneration.

The CSM production chain generates several by-products that must be landfilled, treated, or transformed. This study focuses on sodium sulfate resulting from the neutralization of sulfuric acid leachates present in several hydrometallurgical processes, including those of project partners. Although part of the hundreds of thousands of annual tons can be valorized (powder detergents in South America or Asian textile industries), this product remains surplus in global production and has little economic value. The study investigated different sodium sulfate brines that will be purified upstream then separated into acid and bases by membrane electrolysis. Each observed brine presents different contaminant profiles, requiring the development of an initial purification process preceding the use of membrane electrolysis technology developed by Aepnus Technology Inc. Membrane electrolysis separates ions (sulfate and sodium) to produce sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid through electron transfer with a purity grade higher than market standards. The project enabled over 3000 hours of operation divided between 100-hour continuous improvement trials of components and aging studies exceeding 1000 hours to obtain data necessary for scale-up. Ultimately, the studied process will provide Quebec sodium sulfate producers access to an outlet for this by-product that will be transformed back into chemical reagents necessary for their processes using electricity as a reactant.

Disinformation about mineral resources is a major strategic issue in the global competition for control of SAMs. This type of behaviour is part of the economic war waged by states to attract foreign investment, reinforce their strategic weight and national discourse, protect their security and sovereignty, or conceal corrupt practices. The weakness of management bodies within states often contributes to this, leaving room for exclusively political approaches. This may involve over-estimation, under-estimation or deliberate opacity regarding mineral resources and/or associated investments. The power of self-intoxication through social networks, the scarcity of objective sources, and the collusion between private and public interests thus lead to toxic behaviour on the part of governments, both environmentally and socially. On the other hand, transparency can sometimes lead to naivety. Numerous examples illustrate this phenomenon, particularly in areas of recent conflict: Afghanistan, Ukraine, West and Central Africa… Geological information is therefore a strategic weapon and should be accompanied by ethical rules.

L3 Process Development collaborates with clients to innovate and commercialize processes for recovering technological metals, focusing on sustainability and efficiency using our “scrum” approach to project delivery. The presentation uses a combination of past project case studies to present our approach as applied to developing REE separation flowsheets.

The presentation will first introduce L3 Process Development’s structure and capabilities. Then, the typical process development process will be discussed and its shortcomings contrasted with L3’s approach.

L3’s “scrum” process development approach will then presented as we apply it to the development of rare earth separation flowsheets using a combination of case studies from inception through piloting.

L3’s extensive rare earth element experience started in 2012 and is ongoing with multiple clients such as Niocorp, Aclara, Commerce Resources, and the US Department of Energy. We are involved in the extraction, separation, and metallization aspects of the rare earth elements supply chain. L3 is also involved in scientific research on new rare earth element processing technologies in collaboration with Virginia Tech and West Virginia University.