Resin-based approaches for selective extraction and purification of rare earth elements: A comprehensive review

The increasing demand for rare earth elements (REEs) in high-tech applications has highlighted the need for efficient and sustainable recovery methods. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the use of modified resins for REE recovery for various purposes, such as extraction, separation and purification. It gives an outlook on the latest developments and challenges in this field. Various modification processes, including solvent impregnation, chelation, grafting, magnetic modification and ion imprinting, are examined in terms of their effects on the performance of the resins. The basic properties and surface functionalities of commercial and modified resins for the recovery and uptake of REEs are examined in conjunction with the mechanisms involved, their limitations and drawbacks. Overall, this review provides an insight into the current state of modified resins for REE recovery and identifies future research directions to improve the efficiency and sustainability of this process.