Process of isolating rare earth elements

Abstract

A process of isolating a REE or a group of REE from a solution or dispersion containing said REE or said group of REEs comprising the following steps: (i) preparing a mixture comprising said solution or dispersion and biomass comprising at least one organism selected from any one of the following organism classes: eubacteria, archaea, algae, and fungi, whereby the at least one organism is capable of adsorbing or accumulating said REE or said group of REEs; (ii) incubating said mixture of step (i) for allowing the adsorption or accumulation of said REE or said group of REEs by said biomass; (iii) separating the biomass having adsorbed or accumulated REE(s) from the mixture of step (ii); and (iv) isolating said REE or said group of REEs from said biomass separated in step (iii).

1 . A process of isolating or enriching the rare earth clement (REE) scandium from a solution or dispersion containing said REE, comprising the following steps:
 (i) preparing a mixture comprising said solution or dispersion and biomass comprising at least one organism selected from any one of the following organism classes: eubacteria, archaea, algae, and fungi, whereby the at least one organism is capable of adsorbing or accumulating said REE;   (ii) incubating said mixture of step (i) for allowing the adsorption or accumulation of said REE by said biomass;   (iii) separating the biomass having adsorbed or accumulated REE(s) from the mixture of step (ii); and   (iv) isolating said REE from said biomass separated in step (iii).   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said solution or dispersion is obtained by treating a source material of said REE, such as a mineral ore, a mineral mining waste material, or an electronic or metal scrap, by an extraction or solubilizing agent, such as an aqueous acid. 
     
     
         3 . A process of isolating or enriching the rare earth element (REE) scandium from a particulate material, comprising the following steps:
 (i) preparing a mixture comprising a solution or dispersion prepared from said particulate material and biomass comprising at least one organism selected from any one of the following organism classes: eubacteria, archaea, algae, and fungi, whereby the at least one organism is capable of adsorbing or accumulating said REE;   (ii) incubating said mixture of step (i) for allowing adsorption or accumulation of said REE by said biomass;   (iii) separating the biomass having adsorbed or accumulated REE(s) from the mixture of step (ii); and   (iv) isolating said REE from said biomass separated in step (iii).   
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein said particulate material containing said REE is a particulate mineral ore, a particulate mineral mining waste material or a particulate obtained from electronic scrap or scrap metal. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein said particulate material contains said REE in the form of chemical compounds of the REE, such as carbonates, sulfates, oxides, phosphates or silicates. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein said particulate material has an average particle size of at most 5 mm, preferably at most 1 mm, more preferably of at most 400 μm, and moat preferably of at most 100 μm. 
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein said solution or dispersion is obtained by treating said particulate material by an extraction or solubilising agent such as an aqueous acid, optionally followed by adjusting the pH to a suitable pH for adsorption or accumulation of said REE by said biomass. 
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein preparing said solution or dispersion from said particulate material comprises pre-treating said particulate material with autotrophic or heterotrophic bacteria tor bioleaching said REE from said particulate material before or concurrently to step (i). 
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said solution or dispersion is aqueous. 
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 9 , wherein said aqueous solution or dispersion has a pH of from 0 to 5, preferably of from 0.5 to 3, more preferably of from 1.0 to 2.0; and/or said mixture of step (ii) has a pH of from 0 to 5, preferably of from 0.5 to 3, more preferably of from 1.0 to 2.0. 
     
     
         11 .- 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein said organism is from genus  Cupriavidus,  such as  Cupriavidus metallidurans,  or said organism is  Citrobacter  sp. 
     
     
         14 . A process of isolating the REE scandium from a particulate material, or a solution or dispersion containing said REE comprising  of contacting biomass selected from the following organism classes: Eubacteria, Archaea, Algae, and Fungi with said particulate material or a solution or dispersion containing said REE. 
     
     
         15 . A method of testing a sample microorganism for its ability to bind the rare earth element scandium or of screening a plurality of microorganisms for the ability of members of said plurality to bind the rare earth element scandium, comprising the following steps:
 (a) contacting a microorganism with a solution or dispersion containing the rare earth element (REE);   (b) incubating the mixture of step (a) for a predetermined period of time;   (c) separating microorganisms from the mixture obtained in step (b);   (d) analysing the separated microorganism for bound REE.   
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein said solution or dispersion is aqueous. 
     
     
         17 . The process according to  claim 14 , wherein said aqueous solution or dispersion has a pH of from 0 to 5, preferably of from 0.5 to 3, more preferably of from 1.0 to 2.0; and/or said mixture of step (ii) has a pH of from 0 to 5, preferably of from 0.5 to 3, more preferably of from 1.0 to 2.0. 
     
     
         18 . The process according to  claim 3 , wherein said organism is from genus  Cupriavidus,  such as  Cupriavidus metallidurans,  or said organism is  Citrobacter  sp.