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Challenges for extraction of critical technology elements and radionuclides from phosphogypsum tailings

Dr. Michael Haschke, EurGeolDMT Manager R&D

Am Technologiepark 145307 Essen, Germany

Email: michael.haschke@dmt-group.com

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Phosphogypsum (PG) Tailings asSource of Critical Raw Materials (REE, P) Sand-silt size CaSO4 ∙ 2 H2O + apatite (REE),

monazite (REE), silicates, and sulfates.- 70-90% of REE phosphogypsum tailings- 10-30% of REE phosphoric acid (fertilizer)

Underestimated source of critical raw materials:- REE content commonly 0.5 - 1.0 wt.%- P content commonly 0.5 - 2.5 wt.%

Expected vast increase in PG tailings resources growing REE and P resource reservoir.

Significant zero-waste potential.

ca. 6 kg REE

ca. 420 kg REE

ca. 4,200 kg REE

ca. 2,400 kg REE / 4MW

few grams REE

DMT Innovation

Phosphogypsum Key Facts

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raPHOSafeDMT InnovationZero-Waste

Tailings Recycling

Product: Radionuclide classification tool for sorting of PGtailings material.

Goal- Zero-waste recycling of phosphogypsum tailings

worldwide.- Legal EU-radiation compliant (1 Bq/g) classification.- Minimize amount of PG due for radiochemical

remediation.- Re-Engineering of PG for near-zero waste recycling to

construction material (gypsum boards, cement). Tasks

- Construction and calibration of patented automatedconveyor belt classification system for sorting of 226Ra-rich PG (TENORM) and separation from non-radioactive tailings material.

- Potential global application; target capacity: 5-8 t/hr.

Storage of process water on phosphogypsumstack at Huelva, SpainSource: IAEA Phosphate NORM Pub 1582, 2013

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Incorporation in newlybuilt bone material

bone-forming cells

Radiates neighboring tumorcells (alpha-rays).Efficiently kills highly localizedtumor cells.

bonemarrow

bone-repair cells

223Ra Casubstitution

newly formedbone material

α-particle radiation breaks DNA in tumor cell

223RaCl2 half-life 11.4 days

Source: Bruland et al. (2006) Clinical Cancer Research, vol 12 (20), p. 6250-6257.

DMT InnovationMineral Resources for Life-Saving Cancer Treatment

tumor cells

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Partner Innovation CRN – TVN Connect - DMTUnmanned Airborne Exploration and Monitoring

GROUND ▪ AIR ▪ SPACE

Customized systems / flight missions. High payload capacity (up to 50 kg). Flexible flight times (up to several hours). Very low flight altitudes (down to 1 meter). Terrain-following mode. Automated / beyond line of sight navigation.

Multicopter Cage-Multicopter Turbine-Rotary Wing

Fixed-Wing Electro Fixed-Wing Combust Vertical Take-Off

Airship Cam-Rover

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Optimization of operations monitoring (e.g. zero-wasterecycling) and early warning systems for tailings dam failure.

SENTINEL-1A/1B

TerraSAR-X / TanDEM-X

LIDAR Ri-COPTER

Radar remote sensing combining data from Sentinelsatelites (1A/B), LIDAR satellite, TerraSAR-X and

TanDEM-X with UAV.

DMT & Partners InnovationWide Range of Multiscale Surveying – Exploration – Monitoring Systems

GROUND ▪ AIR ▪ SPACE

SATELLITE LIDAR