The Mining Division of the Rosatom State Corporation has developed a domestic technology for extracting rare earth metals (REM). The development of the technology was ordered by Rusredmet JSC (Leningrad Region), and specialists from Atomredmetzoloto JSC and Solikamsk Magnesium Plant JSC took part in the work.
The completed project envisages that the production of cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium and concentrate of the medium-heavy group of rare earth elements (samarium, gadolinium, europium) will be organized at Solikamsk Magnesium Plant JSC (SMZ JSC, an enterprise of the Mining Division of Rosatom). The raw material for the production of rare earth elements will be loparite concentrate, which is mined and enriched by another enterprise of the division, Lovozersky Mining and Processing Plant LLC (Lovozersky GOK LLC).
The essence of the technology is that the REE carbonate concentrate produced by JSC SMZ is dissolved in nitric acid. A nitrate solution of rare earth elements is obtained. Cerium is extracted from it by electrooxidation and subsequent extraction. Other rare earth elements (REE) are successively extracted from the remaining solution using extraction separation. Then there are the stages of precipitation, drying and calcination.
The laboratory confirmed the purity and quality of the obtained REE.
“The Rosatom Mining Division extracts loparite ore and enriches it at the Lovozero Mining and Processing Plant, then the loparite concentrate is sent to Solikamsk. Here we extract niobium, tantalum and titanium, and other significant rare earth metals (lanthanides) remain in the collective concentrate. “Obtaining our own separation technology is strategically important for the Russian industry,” explained Ruslan Dimukhamedov, Chairman of the Association of Producers and Consumers of Rare and Rare Earth Metals (Association of RM and REE), General Director of SMZ.
The production of cerium, lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium and concentrate of the medium-heavy group of rare earth elements will guarantee import substitution of REE for the production of magnets, petrochemical catalysts and other high-tech products. SMZ will also restore the full production chain and will produce metallic tantalum in ingots. In turn, this will allow enterprises of the fuel division of the Rosatom State Corporation to guarantee the necessary production volumes of various forms of rolled products and powders for the Russian electronics industry. There is a growing demand for these products.
“Completion of the technology development gives the start to the implementation of the next project – the design and construction of a large separation production facility at SMZ. To provide production with raw materials, we will simultaneously increase the volume of production at the Lovozersky GOK. For this purpose, the project for developing new underground horizons of the Karnasurt mine has already begun, the development of placer deposits in the northern foothills of the Lovozero massif is planned, and the processing plant is being modernized. Our strategic goal is to ensure complete raw material independence of high-tech sectors of the Russian industry with rare earth metals,” said Alexey Shemetov, First Deputy Head of the Mining Division of Rosatom.
The investments of the Rosatom Mining Division and the competencies of specialists made it possible to develop the technology in record time – in one and a half years. During this time, a pilot plant with a capacity of up to 1.5 tons of rare earth metals per year was also built and an analytical laboratory was organized. Specialists from JSC Atomredmetzoloto and OJSC Solikamsk Magnesium Plant have already begun scaling up the developed technology, as well as designing a separation complex at the Solikamsk site. This means the creation of new jobs and the development of high-tech sectors of the Russian industry.