Supervisors
Professor Dominik Weiss and Dr. Martin Li, Imperial College London
Project Outline
My research project is on the sustainable mining of Rare Earth Elements (REE). REEs are essential for the development of clean technologies such as renewable energy systems and electric vehicles. However, current industrial extraction often relies on inefficient chemical leaching processes that generate gigatons of waste per year and pose serious risks to local water systems and ecosystems. This research project aims to improve the sustainability of REE mining by comparing different extraction techniques and identifying opportunities to reduce their environmental impact.
In my research, I will quantify the leaching rates associated with different rare earth element (REE) extraction techniques to assess their contribution to chemical contamination of surrounding soils and groundwater. Using a geochemical laboratory with samples from Southern China and Cameroon, I will simulate commonly used extraction processes and measure the release and transport of contaminants into soil and water systems. Contaminant concentrations, leaching rates, and mobility under different chemical conditions will be quantified to identify stages that pose the greatest risk to water quality.
Impact
The research impact will be evaluated by comparing contaminant release across extraction conditions relative to the chemicals used, and by identifying process modifications that significantly reduce chemical consumption and leakage. Based on these results, I will propose process-level improvements aligned with green chemistry principles that minimize hazardous chemical use and contaminant release while remaining feasible for industrial implementation.