Management of wastes from the processing of rare earth minerals

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorHart, KPen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLevins, DMen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2022-09-12T00:41:09Zen_AU
dc.date.available2022-09-12T00:41:09Zen_AU
dc.date.issued1988-08-28en_AU
dc.date.statistics2022-07-20en_AU
dc.descriptionPhysical copy held by ANSTO Library at DDC 660.20994/7en_AU
dc.description.abstractAustralia is the leading producer and exporter of the rare earth mineral, monazite, but currently does not process it beyond the physical beneficiation stage. Recent discoveries of new uses for rare earth has renewed interest in monazite processing in Australia. Two proposals of rare earth processing plants have been announced and a number of other companies are engaged in feasibility studies. Chemical processing of monazite involves digestion in caustic soda to 'crack' the phosphate matrix, dissolution of the rare earths in acid and their separation by multi-stage solvent extraction usually in mixer-settlers. The processing is complicated by the presence of 4-8 wt% thorium and 0.1-0.3 wt% uranium in the monazite. Experiments have shown that lead-210 and uranium are partially solubilized in the caustic digestion stage and radium is dissolved along with the rare earths. Over 99.5% of the radium can be precipitated as barium/radium sulphate by the addition of barium chloride and soluble sulphate. This radium-bearing solid waste can be combined with the uranium/thorium residue so that essentially all the radionuclides are contained in the one waste stream. The volume of this waste stream is not large and it is feasible to store it on-site in an engineered facility. The safe disposal of this waste would be facilitated by the establishment of a national facility for radioactive and other toxic wastes.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationHart, K. P., & Levins, D. M. (1988). Management of wastes from the processing of rare earth minerals. Paper presented to Chemeca '88 : Australia's Bicentennial International Conference for the Process Industries, Sydney, 28-31 August 1988, (pp. 82-88).en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate31 August 1988en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameChemeca '88 : Australia's Bicentennial International Conference for the Process Industriesen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceSydney, Australiaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate28 August 1988en_AU
dc.identifier.isbn0858254093en_AU
dc.identifier.pagination82-88en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/13796en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherInstitution of Engineers Australiaen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectInternal conversion radioisotopesen_AU
dc.subjectLead 210en_AU
dc.subjectMonazitesen_AU
dc.subjectOre processingen_AU
dc.subjectRadioactive waste processingen_AU
dc.subjectRare earthsen_AU
dc.subjectUraniumen_AU
dc.subjectThoriumen_AU
dc.subjectRadiumen_AU
dc.titleManagement of wastes from the processing of rare earth mineralsen_AU
dc.typeConference Paperen_AU
Files
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.63 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Conference Publications