Abstract
The advancements in high-tech products and pursuit of renewable energy demand a massive and continuously growing supply of rare earth elements (REE). However, REE production from mining is heavily restricted by technoeconomic limitations and global geopolitical tensions. Municipal solid waste incineration ash (MSWIA) has been recently recognized as a potential alternative for REE recovery. This study applies and optimizes a green modular treatment system using organic ligands for effective REE recovery and concentration from MSWIA with minimal generation of secondary wastes. Citrate extracted >80% of total REE at pH 2.0 and ∼60% at pH 4.0. A subsequent oxalate precipitation step selectively concentrated >98% of extracted REE by ∼7-12 times compared to raw MSWIA. Waste byproducts were upcycled to synthesize zeolites, resulting in an overall solid waste volume reduction of ∼80% and heavy metal immobilization efficiency of ∼75% with negligible leaching, bringing the dual benefits of REE recovery and waste management. This work serves as a pioneer study in REE recovery from an emerging source and provides system level insights on the practicality of a simple three-step treatment system. Compared to existing literature, this system features a low chemical/energy input and a light environmental footprint.