IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/rensus/v173y2023ics1364032122009807.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Current nature-based biological practices for rare earth elements extraction and recovery: Bioleaching and biosorption

Author

Listed:
  • Brown, Rebecca M.
  • Mirkouei, Amin
  • Reed, David
  • Thompson, Vicki

Abstract

There is a growing demand for advancing products and renewable technologies worldwide that rely on rare earth elements (REEs), including those directly necessary for a low-carbon energy transition, national security applications, and consumer electronics. This study focuses on current nature-based biological methods (i.e., bioleaching and biosorption) for REEs extraction from electronic wastes (e-wastes) and ore deposits. Comprehensive narrative and systematic reviews of bioleaching and biosorption extraction methods are performed to identify their sustainability challenges and benefits, and highlight the potential pathways that would address the existing gaps. From the narrative review, it is evident that biological methods for REEs extraction are more environmentally friendly than conventional methods currently used in the REE mining industry (e.g., acid leaching and solvent extraction). From the systematic review, it is clear that bioleaching and biosorption research has been a rapidly growing field of interest over the last 10 years, particularly for precious metals extraction (e.g., copper and gold). From both reviews, it is apparent that REEs extraction from domestic ore deposits alone is inadequate, and sustainable REEs recovery from e-wastes is also necessary to meet the growing REEs demand. It is concluded that targeted mixed REEs extraction for specific products can be a potential pathway for sustainable REEs extraction from both ore and e-wastes that would reduce separation costs and emissions from the associated use of harsh chemicals. It is further concluded that nature-based biological REE extraction solutions offer an opportunity to generate significant socio-economic and environmental benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • Brown, Rebecca M. & Mirkouei, Amin & Reed, David & Thompson, Vicki, 2023. "Current nature-based biological practices for rare earth elements extraction and recovery: Bioleaching and biosorption," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:173:y:2023:i:c:s1364032122009807
    DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2022.113099
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1364032122009807
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.rser.2022.113099?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nawshad Haque & Anthony Hughes & Seng Lim & Chris Vernon, 2014. "Rare Earth Elements: Overview of Mining, Mineralogy, Uses, Sustainability and Environmental Impact," Resources, MDPI, vol. 3(4), pages 1-22, October.
    2. Opare, Emmanuel Ohene & Struhs, Ethan & Mirkouei, Amin, 2021. "A comparative state-of-technology review and future directions for rare earth element separation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    3. Ata Akcil & Zhi Sun & Sandeep Panda, 2020. "COVID-19 disruptions to tech-metals supply are a wake-up call," Nature, Nature, vol. 587(7834), pages 365-367, November.
    4. Shahana Althaf & Callie W. Babbitt & Roger Chen, 2021. "The evolution of consumer electronic waste in the United States," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 25(3), pages 693-706, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Madaleno, Mara & Taskin, Dilvin & Dogan, Eyup & Tzeremes, Panayiotis, 2023. "A dynamic connectedness analysis between rare earth prices and renewable energy," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    2. Kumar, Anil & Shemi, Alan & Chipise, Liberty & Moodley, Sanchia & Yah, Clarence S. & Ndlovu, Sehliselo, 2023. "Can microbial Bio-CN be a sustainable alternative to the chemical cyanidation of precious metals? An update and way forward," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    3. Rao Fu & Kun Peng & Peng Wang & Honglin Zhong & Bin Chen & Pengfei Zhang & Yiyi Zhang & Dongyang Chen & Xi Liu & Kuishuang Feng & Jiashuo Li, 2023. "Tracing metal footprints via global renewable power value chains," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-14, December.
    4. Zhou, Xuanru & Zhang, Hua & Zheng, Shuxian & Xing, Wanli & Yang, Hanshi & Zhao, Yifan, 2023. "A study on the transmission of trade behavior of global nickel products from the perspective of the industrial chain," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    5. Wang, Xingxing & Wang, Anjian & Zhong, Weiqiong & Zhu, Depeng & Wang, Chunhui, 2022. "Analysis of international nickel flow based on the industrial chain," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    6. de Oliveira, R.P. & Benvenuti, J. & Espinosa, D.C.R., 2021. "A review of the current progress in recycling technologies for gallium and rare earth elements from light-emitting diodes," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    7. Claire L. McLeod & Mark. P. S. Krekeler, 2017. "Sources of Extraterrestrial Rare Earth Elements: To the Moon and Beyond," Resources, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-28, August.
    8. van der Merwe, Antoinette & Cabernard, Livia & Günther, Isabel, 2023. "Urban mining: The relevance of information, transaction costs and externalities," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    9. Khurshid, Adnan & Chen, Yufeng & Rauf, Abdur & Khan, Khalid, 2023. "Critical metals in uncertainty: How Russia-Ukraine conflict drives their prices?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).
    10. Uslu, Samet & Celik, Mehmet, 2023. "Response surface methodology-based optimization of the amount of cerium dioxide (CeO2) to increase the performance and reduce emissions of a diesel engine fueled by cerium dioxide/diesel blends," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    11. Maasago M. Sepadi & Martha Chadyiwa & Vusumuzi Nkosi, 2020. "Platinum Mine Workers’ Exposure to Dust Particles Emitted at Mine Waste Rock Crusher Plants in Limpopo, South Africa," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(2), pages 1-12, January.
    12. Anthony E. Hughes & Nawshad Haque & Stephen A. Northey & Sarbjit Giddey, 2021. "Platinum Group Metals: A Review of Resources, Production and Usage with a Focus on Catalysts," Resources, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-40, September.
    13. York R. Smith & Pankaj Kumar & John D. McLennan, 2017. "On the Extraction of Rare Earth Elements from Geothermal Brines," Resources, MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-16, August.
    14. Philemon Lindagato & Yongjun Li & Gaoxue Yang, 2023. "Save the giants: demand beyond production capacity of tantalum raw materials," Mineral Economics, Springer;Raw Materials Group (RMG);Luleå University of Technology, vol. 36(3), pages 535-541, September.
    15. Andrea Schreiber & Josefine Marx & Petra Zapp & Jürgen-Friedrich Hake & Daniel Voßenkaul & Bernd Friedrich, 2016. "Environmental Impacts of Rare Earth Mining and Separation Based on Eudialyte: A New European Way," Resources, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-22, October.
    16. Erika Machacek & Jessika Luth Richter & Ruth Lane, 2017. "Governance and Risk–Value Constructions in Closing Loops of Rare Earth Elements in Global Value Chains," Resources, MDPI, vol. 6(4), pages 1-25, October.
    17. Hu, Xiaoqian & Sun, Boxue & Wang, Chao & Lim, Ming K. & Wang, Peng & Geng, Xinyi & Yao, Cuiyou & Chen, Wei-Qiang, 2023. "Impacts of China’s exports decline in rare earth primary materials from a trade network-based perspective," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    18. Islam, Md. Monirul & Sohag, Kazi & Berezin, Andrey & Sergi, Bruno S., 2024. "Factor proportions model for Russian mineral supply-driven global energy transition: Does externality matter?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    19. Dhiya Durani Sofian Azizi & Marlia M. Hanafiah & Kok Sin Woon, 2023. "Material Flow Analysis in WEEE Management for Circular Economy: A Content Review on Applications, Limitations, and Future Outlook," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-22, February.
    20. Hao, Hongchang & Ma, Zhe & Wang, Anjian & Xing, Wanli & Song, Hao & Zhao, Pei & Wei, Jiangqiao & Zheng, Shuxian, 2023. "Modeling and assessing the robustness of the lithium global trade system against cascading failures," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(PB).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:rensus:v:173:y:2023:i:c:s1364032122009807. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/600126/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.