Extraction of Rare Earth Metals from E-waste

NeoCtech aims at producing critical rare earth elements (REE), e.g. Neodymium and Dysprosium, from end-of-life materials. REE are called rare because there are few viable primary resources to extract them due to mineralogy of REE bearing ores and physicochemical properties of REE. NeoCtech is carrying out R&D to address the circular economy of REE, and to produce them from secondary resources: REE from recycled waste magnets where REE constitute about 30 wt% of mass. NeoCtech has developed a hybrid and cost-effctive process for the production of rare earth oxides from waste NdFeB magnets. This research proposal is to address one serious challenge for the production of rare earth metals from the oxides, a crucial step with respect to the fact that almost no similar attempt has been done in countries outside China to produce rare earth metals from their oxide forms; in other words, most companies tend to send their metal oxides to China. The success of this research will make NeoCtech a pioneer in the production of rare earth metals for the first time in North America while it can complete the chain of its rare earth metals production from waste streams.

Faculty Supervisor:

Jamal Chaouki

Student:

Partner:

neoCtech Corp.

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

University:

Polytechnique Montréal

Program: