Opportunities for variable feed in REE and P extraction (OPTIREEP)

Purpose and goal

OPTIREEP aims to support future self-sufficiency in rare earth elements and phosphorus in Sweden and Europe by generating knowledge and process foundations for extraction from raw materials with varying quality and mineralogy. The project will identify how raw-material characteristics and process conditions jointly influence element distribution, extraction, recovery, separation, and purity, develop innovative process steps, and provide a basis for industrial implementation.

Expected effects and result

The project will build understanding of how raw-material variation and process steps influence recovery, purity, and stability. It will assess how the concentrate mineralogy and the choice between higher grade or higher overall yield affect subsequent leaching, purification, and impurity levels of fluorine and other elements. Combined with LCA analysis, the results will guide optimal circular process design, cost-efficiency, and scale-up across the full value chain.

Planned approach and implementation

The work is carried out through thermodynamic modelling, production and characterization of concentrates, and systematic laboratory studies including mineral-specific pre-treatment, optimized leaching with examination of element distribution, innovative separation/purification of products, reagent regeneration, and environmental analysis. Different feed materials are used in the experiments, which are performed both in batch mode and in configurations aligned with a potential process flow sheet.