Advances in electrochemical methods for rare earth elements recovery: “A comprehensive review”

Abstract

The global demand for Rare Earth Elements (REEs), critical for high-tech industries, presents significant environmental challenges due to the impacts of traditional mining methods. This review focuses on the potential of electrochemical techniques for the sustainable recovery of REEs, particularly from secondary sources like electronic waste. These methods offer substantial environmental benefits, such as lower energy use and reduced hazardous waste. The review evaluates key electrochemical techniques, including electrochemical leaching, electrodialysis, electrosorption, and electrodeposition, for their effectiveness in REEs recovery. Electrochemical leaching dissolves REEs from complex materials using fewer toxic chemicals. Electrodialysis, using an electric field, efficiently separates and purifies REEs from other ions. Electrosorption employs charged surfaces to selectively adsorb REEs with minimal energy, while electrodeposition directly recovers high-purity REEs from solutions. A life cycle analysis (LCA) comparing these techniques to traditional methods highlights their superior sustainability, especially in lowering energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. These methods contribute significantly to resource sustainability and the circular economy. Advancing electrochemical technologies is essential for minimizing environmental impacts, conserving resources, and meeting the increasing demand for REEs in an environmentally friendly way.