Mine drainage: Treatment technologies and rare earth elements.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Geochemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Mine drainage poses significant environmental challenges.
• Effective treatment technologies are crucial for mitigating pollution.
• Rare earth elements (REEs) in mine drainage present both challenges and recovery opportunities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent advances in mine drainage treatment technologies.
• To summarize research on rare earth elements in mine drainage and their recovery.
• To provide an overview of passive, active, and novel treatment processes.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of research published in 2018.
• Categorization of treatment technologies into passive and active methods.
• Focus on physiochemical and biological treatment options.
• Characterization of rare earth elements and their recovery techniques.

Main Results:

• Significant progress in passive and active mine drainage treatment technologies.
• Detailed characterization of rare earth elements in mine drainage.
• Emerging technologies for rare earth element recovery from mine water.
• Increased focus on rare earth element recovery due to their economic importance.

Conclusions:

• The review highlights key advancements in mine drainage management.
• Rare earth element recovery from mine drainage is a growing area of research.
• A combination of treatment and recovery strategies is essential for sustainable mine water management.