Life Cycle Environmental Assessment of the Production of Rare Earth Elements from Gold Processing

Neodymium, cerium and lanthanum are commonly used critical rare earth elements in the last years. This study analyzes environmental impacts that may occur mainly from neodymium (Ne), cerium (Ce) and lanthanum (La) obtained from secondary sources, derived from the New Kankberg (Sweden) flotation tailings case study. The possibilities of extraction of Ne, Ce and La using magnetic separation can be reached thanks to the paramagnetic property of monazite. In this paper the life cycle assessment model with the life cycle inventory developed using chemical analyses done by inducted coupled plasma mass spectromerty analysis. Life cycle impact assessment results are calculated using ReCiPe method, The results of impact assessment are presented as the caracterisation step (mandatory) and process tree. We achieve valuable reduction critical rare earth elements in flotation tailings, considered as waste.