Mine to Magnets – Securing a Supply of Rare Earth Elements from Volcanic Tuffs for UK Magnet Manufacture

The UK needs to ensure a robust and secure supply of various critical materials, among which Rare Earth Elements (REE) are classed as the most critical due to their various uses in permanent magnets, high strength alloys and other high-tech applications. REE are particularly critical as they are sourced from a relatively small number of countries other than the UK and hence their supply is not guaranteed in times of geopolitical tension.

This project focuses on a novel source of REE which is so far not used for REE enrichment although it is plentiful and rich in REE -- volcanic tuffs. Volcanic tuffs are igneous rocks formed during volcanic eruptions and found commonly in areas of volcanic activity. A particular type of volcanic tuff rich in REE has been identified in geothermal fields by the Earth Science Department of the University of Oxford. A feasibility study is funded by this project to investigate whether it is possible to extract REE from such volcanic tuffs without the need to excavate the rock and destroy local fauna and flora. The idea is to leach the REE from underground geothermal wells using the existing equipment and techniques deployed by geothermal powerplant operators. The leached REE then need to be extracted from the geothermal brine and refined using a scalable and cost-effective method. A novel method is proposed here to achieve this using SelectalTM, a multi-patented platform technology developed by Seloxium Ltd. that can selectively flocculate target metals from aqueous solutions.

Conventional methods of mining and refining REE have the disadvantages of high energy consumption, low selectivity, high operating cost, and formation of secondary pollutants. Hence, an alternative process is proposed in this application via a novel coupled leaching--refining system with Seloxium's technology. The SelectalTM process can produce a high purity metal at a cost, purity, scale, and speed not attainable using competing technologies.

This is a collaborative project between aqua-mining company Seloxium Ltd. and The University of Oxford - focusing on a 2-step methodology to obtain critical REE for magnets from a completely novel source and refine them in a green and sustainable way, boosting the REE supply chain for the UK.