Efficiency gains in REE processing have positioned MTM Critical Minerals’ Flash Joule Heating tech as an attractive alternative to traditional processing. Pic: Getty Images
Tech
Special Report: MTM Critical Minerals’ Flash Joule Heating technology is shaping up to be an attractive alternative to traditional rare earths processing methods after achieving enhanced efficiencies.
The technology, which was developed in collaboration with Rice university in Houston, uses an advanced electrothermal process to recover high-value metals while using less energy and reagents than traditional cracking and leaching.
That process relies on energy intensive high-temperature sulphuric acid baking and requires large volumes of water.
By refining carbo-chlorination parameters for FJH processing, MTM Critical Minerals (ASX:MTM) has now achieved 93% average conversion of all 17 rare earth elements into chlorides while reducing impurities such as iron, aluminium and phosphorous from the concentrate by ~95%.
These figures might be improved further as the process is currently at an early, unoptimised stage.
Chlorination and carbochlorination also enables the selective recovery of target metals or impurities.
Adding further interest, the production of a >90% purity product is achieved in a single step, enhancing the tech’s potential to significantly reduce complexity, downstream purification needs and reagent use.
This contrasts with traditional processing, which requires multiple stages such as sulphuric acid cracking, leaching and complex solvent extraction that require significant amounts of acid and large volumes of water while generating substantial by-products, including iron phosphor-gypsum and magnesium-rich gypsum.
“This breakthrough in REE processing simplifies rare earth extraction by producing REE-chlorides — a more valuable, easier-to-handle, and refined intermediate compared to traditional REE-sulphates,” managing director Michael Walshe said.
“This includes the highly valuable and strategically critical magnet REEs: Nd, Pr, Dy, and Tb. Building on previous successes, it highlights the transformative potential of FJH technology to deliver higher efficiencies and a more sustainable alternative to incumbent methods.
“The optimisation achieved highlights our ability to not only match traditional processing methods in recovery but also remove major impurities in a single step, significantly reducing water consumption, chemical reagent usage, and the complexity of downstream refinement.
“The resulting economic and environmental benefits are expected to be substantial. Amid current geopolitical dynamics and the urgent need to reduce reliance on Chinese REE supply chains, MTM is well-positioned to provide a critical alternative. We look forward to advancing collaborations to bring this game-changing technology to market.”
MTM’s FJH tech isn’t only for REE processing.
The tech is also able to extract critical minerals such as lithium from spodumene, gallium from scrap and gold from e-waste.
Notably, the ability to recover gallium will be tested at the company’s proposed demonstration plant in Texas, the design of which is expected to be completed in February 2025.
MTM is continuing to focus on accelerating the pathway for industrial-scale deployment of FJH.
It will continue to optimise the process by refining key process parameters, including reaction kinetics, particle size distribution, reagent addition rates and temperature.
Scaling up is also underway by progressing towards pilot-scale trials to validate industrial applicability.
Additionally, the company is carrying out discussions with industry stakeholders to foster adoption and expand market integration.
This article was developed in collaboration with MTM Critical Minerals, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.
This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.
