Provided herein is an electrodialysis metathesis (EDM) system that has at least one stack or quad of compartments arranged so each compartment is in fluid communication with its adjacent compartment via alternating cation- and anion-exchange membranes. The compartments in a stack are a feed compartment, a substitution salt solution compartment, a first concentrated compartment and a second concentrated compartment. Also provided are processes and methods for separating or recovering a metal, for example, a rare earth element, or a salt or a combination thereof from a salt-containing water. Simultaneous metathesis reactions and electrodialysis across the stack recovers one or more metal or salts from the salt-containing water which desalinates the salt-containing water.

Provided herein is an electrodialysis metathesis (EDM) system that has at least one stack or quad of compartments arranged so each compartment is in fluid communication with its adjacent compartment via alternating cation- and anion-exchange membranes. The compartments in a stack are a feed compartment, a substitution salt solution compartment, a first concentrated compartment and a second concentrated compartment. Also provided are processes and methods for separating or recovering a metal, for example, a rare earth element, or a salt or a combination thereof from a salt-containing water. Simultaneous metathesis reactions and electrodialysis across the stack recovers one or more metal or salts from the salt-containing water which desalinates the salt-containing water.

A method for producing aluminum includes: a dissolution step of dissolving a hydrate containing Al in water to prepare an aqueous solution that contains Al ions; an extraction step of bringing an organic phase that is composed of an extractant into contact with an aqueous phase that is composed of the aqueous solution to extract the Al ions in the aqueous phase into the organic phase; and an electrodeposition step of electrolyzing the organic phase as an electrolytic solution to electrodeposit metallic Al onto a surface of a cathode from the Al ions in the electrolytic solution.

Methods for recovery of at least one rare earth metal from ferromagnetic alloy are described, and further methods of atomic hydrogen decrepitation of a ferromagnetic alloy.

A method of recovering an elemental rare earth metal comprises placing a rare earth-containing material comprising a rare earth metal in a reaction solution comprising a reducing agent and a non-aqueous solvent comprising an ionic liquid or a eutectic mixture, reducing the rare earth metal with the reducing agent to form a metallic rare earth metal and cations of the reducing agent, transferring the cations of the reducing agent from the reaction solution to an electrochemical cell through an ion exchange membrane, and reducing the cations of the reducing agent in the electrochemical cell. Related methods of forming an elemental rare earth metal, and related systems are disclosed.

A method of recovering an elemental rare earth metal comprises placing a rare earth-containing material comprising a rare earth metal in a reaction solution comprising a reducing agent and a non-aqueous solvent comprising an ionic liquid or a eutectic mixture, reducing the rare earth metal with the reducing agent to form a metallic rare earth metal and cations of the reducing agent, transferring the cations of the reducing agent from the reaction solution to an electrochemical cell through an ion exchange membrane, and reducing the cations of the reducing agent in the electrochemical cell. Related methods of forming an elemental rare earth metal, and related systems are disclosed.

A method for selectively recovering a rare earth element (REE) from an alloy includes applying a potential of from -3.5 V to 0 V to an electrochemical cell comprising a anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte, wherein (i) the anode comprises an alloy comprising a REE, (ii) the cathode comprises a noble metal, and (iii) the electrolyte comprises an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt and a nonaqueous solvent. Under the applied potential, at least some of the REE is oxidatively dissolved from the anode and is electrodeposited onto the cathode to form an REE deposit.

A method for selectively recovering a rare earth element (REE) from an alloy includes applying a potential of from -3.5 V to 0 V to an electrochemical cell comprising a anode, a cathode, and an electrolyte, wherein (i) the anode comprises an alloy comprising a REE, (ii) the cathode comprises a noble metal, and (iii) the electrolyte comprises an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal salt and a nonaqueous solvent. Under the applied potential, at least some of the REE is oxidatively dissolved from the anode and is electrodeposited onto the cathode to form an REE deposit.

A process for production of metal(s) by molten-salt electrolysis includes direct non-carbothermic chlorinating of ore containing metal oxide(s) to produce metal chloride(s); and electrolysis of molten salt(s) of the metal chloride(s) for electrowinning of metal(s) product.

A process for production of metal(s) by molten-salt electrolysis includes direct non-carbothermic chlorinating of ore containing metal oxide(s) to produce metal chloride(s); and electrolysis of molten salt(s) of the metal chloride(s) for electrowinning of metal(s) product.