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ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS OF REE RECOVERY TECHNOLOGY FROM SECONDARY SOURCES IN NEW KANKBERG AND COVAS
Abstract
The ENVIREE project is focused on the working-out of efficient and environmentally-friendly rare earth elements (REE) recovery technologies from selected industrial waste disposal sites. Compared secondary sources from metal production processes are characterized by the highest REE content among the European objects assessed under the project. The paper presents the environmental aspects of REE recovery from New Kankberg (Sweden) and Covas (Portugal) tailings. Based on the results from stage II of the study, i.e. the selection of technological processes, the assessment of the possibilities of tailings reclamation, LCA analysis and preliminary stages of environmental assessment, summarized are the most important environmental aspects of both installations. Issues requiring in-depth analysis at the stage of implementation of the pilot plant on a semi-technical stage and subsequent stages of the strategic environmental assessment are indicated. The article presents the main data for the secondary sources of REE. Assessment of environmental aspects of REE recovery from both secondary sources indicated that the selection of logistic regimes of beneficiation is of significant importance for comparing the cumulative environmental effects. The paper also presents a summary of the life cycle assessment results for the REE production stage from both sources. Indicated are the differences in comparing accumulated environmental effects for various plants and environmental aspects which require a deeper analysis at subsequent stages of technology development. Due to the specific character of the REE occurrence and production, the structure of demand for individual REE metals has a key importance for the environmental assessments. The costs of shortage of raw materials with key importance for development of modern technologies, including environmentally-friendly ones, should also be taken into account.
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