2019年10月23日，探索矿业公司高兴地宣布其试运行分离厂的优化工作顺利完成，该优化工作由加拿大SGS落实并主要是为了优化萃取工艺。
总裁兼首席执行官格雷格•安德鲁斯（greg andrews）表示：“在本次优化期间，我们的萃取工艺得到了显著的改进和并提高了效率。为了获得在拉布拉多州圣路易斯建造工厂的资金，我们在优化期间所收集到的数据和信息将用于初步经济评估中。这些工艺进展以及我们最近发布的DeepFox矿藏储量公告，使探索矿业成为建造北美稀土供应链的关键一员。”
该公司的萃取工艺包括：
破碎
在-190°C下硫酸处理破碎物料4小时
酸/物料混合物在90°C下的水浸出24-36小时
Ph值为3-3.5的碳酸镁除铁除杂
浸出渣和铁沉淀的过滤和洗涤
离子交换除铀
碳酸钠沉淀混合碳酸稀土
混合碳酸稀土与硫酸的再浸出及未浸出残渣的过滤
沉淀除钍
硫化锌沉淀除锌
稀土草酸盐沉淀法和煅烧法生产高纯（99%±Ro）混合稀土氧化物
October 23, 2019 (Source) – Search Minerals Inc. (“Search” or the “Company”) (TSXV: SMY) is pleased to provide an update of the current pilot plant optimization being carried out by SGS Canada in Lakefield, Ontario. The SGS Minerals test program designed to optimize the Search Minerals Direct Extraction Process for Rare Earth Element Recovery is nearing successful completion.
Greg Andrews, President and CEO stated; “We are receiving significant improvements and efficiencies to our proprietary direct extract process flowsheet during this optimization program. The data and information gathered during the program will be used to prepare a preliminary economic assessment for capital and operating costs along with engineering plans to build a demonstration plant in St. Lewis, Labrador. These processing advancements along with our recent DEEPFOX resource estimate announcement well positions Search to become a crucial player in the creation of a secure North American rare earth element supply chain.”
The Direct Extraction Process involves the following unit operations.
Material Crushing
Sulfuric Acid Treatment of the Crushed Material at ~190 °C for 4 hours
Water Leaching of the Acid/Material Mixture at 90 °C for 24-36 hours
Iron and Impurity Removal by Magnesium Carbonate Addition to pH 3-3.5
Filtration and Washing of the Leach Residue and Iron Precipitate
Uranium Removal by Ion Exchange
Precipitation of a Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate by Addition of Sodium Carbonate
Re-Leaching of the Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate with Sulfuric Acid and Filtration of Un-Leached Residue
Thorium Removal by Precipitation
Zinc Removal by Precipitation as Zinc Sulfide
Rare Earth Oxalate Precipitation and Calcination to Produce a Mixed Rare Earth Oxide of High Purity (+99% REO) for Refining
（source：investorintel）
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