(212e) The Development of Structured Ligands and CO2-Facilitated Hydrometallurgy to Extract Critical Elements from Unconventional Resources

Processes that can extract and recover critical elements from unconventional resources will be imperative to the future development of new technological innovations. Many rare earth elements (REEs) can be found in unconventional resources, like waste-to-energy ashes, waste electrical and electronic equipment, battery materials, or printed circuit boards. In conventional mineral extraction, REEs can be obtained via laborious, energy intensive processing under highly acidic conditions, high temperature roasting oxidation, and environmentally unfriendly liquid-liquid extraction processes. Here, we propose a conceptually different approach, understanding the hydrometallurgical conditions required when sustainable acids and bases (e.g., CO₂, HCl, NaOH) are used to aid extraction of critical elements. We show that molecularly designed ligand systems can be used in liquid-liquid extraction or immobilized on hybrid, magnetically recoverable supports to separate Ce from a complex background of metal ions. The application of these materials towards extraction, selectivity, and the circularity of the proposed process will be discussed.