• Connect with us
    • Information
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Careers
      • Partnerships
      • Advertise With Us
      • Authors
      • Browse Topics
      • Events
      • Disclaimer
      • Privacy Policy
    • Australia
      North America
      World
    Login

    Investing News NetworkYour trusted source for investing success

    • North America
      Australia
      World
    • My INN
    Videos
    Companies
    Press Releases
    Private Placements
    SUBSCRIBE
    • Reports & Guides
      • Market Outlook Reports
      • Investing Guides
    • Button
    Resource
    • Precious Metals
    • Battery Metals
    • Base Metals
    • Energy
    • Critical Metals
    Tech
    Life Science
    Critical Metals Market
    Critical Metals News
    Critical Metals Stocks
    • Critical Metals Market
    • Critical Metals News
    • Critical Metals Stocks

    Researchers Find Cost-effective Way to Extract Rare Earths from Coal

    Melissa Shaw
    Nov. 21, 2017 02:05PM PST
    Critical Metals
    Rare Earth Investing

    The team is reportedly the first in the world to have provided a 98-percent pure rare earths concentrate from a coal source.

    Researchers at the University of Kentucky say they have discovered a method of producing rare earths from coal that is cost effective and environmentally conscious.
    “As far as I know, our team is the first in the world to have provided a 98 percent pure rare earth concentrate from a coal source,” said professor of mining engineering Rick Honaker.
    The US Department of Energy has invested millions in research to extract rare earths from coal in an effort to establish a domestic rare earths supply that is independent of China, currently the world’s largest rare earths producer. The University of Kentucky received $7 million from the department for research on producing coal from rare earths, as well as $1 million for other rare earths projects.


    The process the researchers used produced a concentrate made up of more than 80 percent total rare earths on a dry whole mass basis, and more than 98 percent rare earth oxides. Over 45 percent of the concentrate was made up of yttrium and magnet metal neodymium.
    Honaker said the recoveries exceed the government’s goal of producing a concentrate containing a minimum of 2 percent rare earths. The research team was also able to separate scandium from the other rare earths using the new recovery process.
    The process will be used in a mobile rare earths pilot plant that Honaker’s research team is developing and testing as part of the project. The pilot plant will be operational in the spring of 2018.
    The value of global annual rare earth oxide demand for the production of rare earth permanent magnets totaled $1.44 billion in 2016, according to a report from Adamas Intelligence. In the future, the largest amount of demand growth is seen coming from the magnet metals, including neodymium and praseodymium. The firm notes that demand for magnet-oriented rare earth oxides is expected to increase to $6.07 billion by 2025; that’s a compound annual growth rate of 17.4 percent.
    Don’t forget to follow us @INN_Resource for real-time news updates!
    Securities Disclosure: I, Melissa Shaw, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
    chinapilot plant
    The Conversation (2)
    Aat Oskam
    Aat Oskam
    22 Nov, 2017
    So the taxpayers has spend miliions of dollars.. Which commercial company will patent the discovery of the university and make a big profit? Same story again and again...
    0 Replies Hide replies
    Show More Replies
    Aat Oskam
    Aat Oskam
    22 Nov, 2017
    So the taxpayers has spend miliions of dollars.. Which commercial company will patent the discovery of the university and make a big profit? Same story again and again...
    0 Replies Hide replies
    Show More Replies
    Go Deeper
    AI Powered
    Periodic table symbols for 17 rare earth elements.

    Rare Earths Stocks: 9 Biggest Companies in 2025

    Rare earth metal.

    Rare Earths Reserves: Top 8 Countries

    Latest News

    Advances Halleck Creek Demonstration Plant-$15 placement

    NevGold Announces Up to 92% Antimony Recovery From Positive Metallurgical Testwork Program at Oxide Gold-Antimony Limo Butte Project in Nevada

    Trading Halt

    Resignation of Managing Director/CEO

    Project Update - Optimisation Underway Halleck Creek

    More News

    Outlook Reports

    Resource
    • Precious Metals
      • Gold
      • Silver
    • Battery Metals
      • Lithium
      • Cobalt
      • Graphite
    • Energy
      • Uranium
      • Oil and Gas
    • Base Metals
      • Copper
      • Nickel
      • Zinc
    • Critical Metals
      • Rare Earths
    • Industrial Metals
    • Agriculture
    Tech
      • Artificial Intelligence
      • Cybersecurity
      • Gaming
      • Cleantech
      • Emerging Tech
    Life Science
      • Biotech
      • Cannabis
      • Psychedelics
      • Pharmaceuticals

    Featured Critical Metals Stocks

    More featured stocks

    Browse Companies

    Resource
    • Precious Metals
    • Battery Metals
    • Energy
    • Base Metals
    • Critical Metals
    Tech
    Life Science
    MARKETS
    COMMODITIES
    CURRENCIES
    ×