The present invention relates to a method of separating radioactive elements from a mixture, wherein the mixture is treated with at least one alkanesulfonic acid and at least one further acid, selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, nitric acid, amidosulfonic acid and mixtures thereof and also the use of at least one alkanesulfonic acid and at least one further acid for separating radioactive elements from mixtures comprising these.

Compositions and methods are provided that provide recovery of metals such as copper, nickel, cobalt, indium, and other metals are recovered from mine tailings, in situ ore bodies, or postconsumer waste. An amine-containing lixiviant is utilized to generate an aqueous solution of the desired metal from insoluble salts present in the source material. Metals can be recovered and further purified by various processes, including extraction into an immiscible organic solvent, electrowinning, crystallization, and chemical reduction. Spent lixiviant can be regenerated and recycled back into the metal recovery process.

A method for the recovery of a precious metal from activated carbon fines which includes the steps of adsorption of the precious metals from the activated carbon fines onto a weak-base anion exchange resin which contains guanidine functional groups in the presence of at least one suitable lixiviant, or adsorption of the precious metals from activated carbon fines onto a mixed-base resin which contains amine functional groups in the presence of at least one suitable lixiviant and eluting the resin with a suitable eluant to produce a precious metal-containing eluate.

A plurality of different metals, including precious metals, platinum group metals, rare earth elements, alkaline earth metals, etc., can be electrochemically recovered from waste materials such as ashes and e-waste, e.g., printed circuit boards. Waste feed stocks are treated with supercritical CO.sub.2 (scCO.sub.2) and acid to produce a solid delaminated waste and a liquid delaminated waste for recovery of elemental metals and metal compounds from each. Carbonation reactions can be used to convert and recover alkaline earth metals from the liquid delaminated waste. The solid delaminated waste can yield a solid gold product, and be further treated along with the liquid delaminated waste via a solvent including one or more organic ligands that bind target metals to form metal-ligand complexes. Electrochemical separation of the different metals, e.g., via stepwise variation of pH to release the metals from organic ligands having different pKa values, yields high purity metal product streams.

A plurality of different metals, including precious metals, platinum group metals, rare earth elements, alkaline earth metals, etc., can be electrochemically recovered from waste materials such as ashes and e-waste, e.g., printed circuit boards. Waste feed stocks are treated with supercritical CO.sub.2 (scCO.sub.2) and acid to produce a solid delaminated waste and a liquid delaminated waste for recovery of elemental metals and metal compounds from each. Carbonation reactions can be used to convert and recover alkaline earth metals from the liquid delaminated waste. The solid delaminated waste can yield a solid gold product, and be further treated along with the liquid delaminated waste via a solvent including one or more organic ligands that bind target metals to form metal-ligand complexes. Electrochemical separation of the different metals, e.g., via stepwise variation of pH to release the metals from organic ligands having different pKa values, yields high purity metal product streams.

The present invention provides an environmentally safe method of collecting rare earth elements from mineral sources such as bastnasite deposits. The invention uses calcium hydroxide to decompose rare earth element minerals and avoids the use of sulfuric acid decomposition which produces toxic hydrofluoric acid as a byproduct. The invention's use of calcium hydroxide produces calcium fluoride as a byproduct which is non-toxic and has a number of industrial uses. The invention further provides a method of separating mixed rare earth element leachates into heavy and light rare earth element fractions using inorganic sodium salts as a precipitation agent.

A method for separating and recovering materials from an electrochemical cell by dissolution in multiple solvents, separation of dissolved constituents, and recovery of materials.

The present invention is in the field of the extraction of lithium from a material comprising lithium and at least another metal. In particular, the invention concerns a process of extraction of lithium at least, from a material comprising lithium and at least another metal.

The present invention is in the field of the extraction of lithium from a material comprising lithium and at least another metal. In particular, the invention concerns a process of extraction of lithium at least, from a material comprising lithium and at least another metal.

One or more embodiments relates to a process for extracting Rare Earth Elements (REEs) from REE-bearing underclays, claystones, shales, coal-mining waste, and waste coal. In at least one embodiment the process includes contacting the REE-bearing underclays, claystones, shales, coal-mining waste, and waste coal with an Organic Acid Solution (OAS) comprising at least one organic acid and at least one ionic salt at a predetermined ambient temperature and predetermined pH; and separating the REE from the REE-bearing underclays, claystones, shales, coal-mining waste, and waste coal, forming REE+Yttrium (REY) concentrate.