Publicaties

The Lindy Effect can be formulated as: the older the technology, the longer it is expected to last. In this paper, we examine the historical aspects of hydrometallurgy through the lens of the Lindy Effect, aiming to understand why research efforts by academic and industrial groups seldom result in new commercial hydrometallurgical processes. We argue that many researchers, particularly in academia, fail to recognize that mining and extractive ...

The speciation of rhodium(III) chlorido complexes was investigated in ethylene glycol, in the presence and absence of lithium chloride, by rhodium-103 NMR and EXAFS spectroscopy. All major rhodium(III) complexes were identified based on their species-specific isotopologue and isotopomer patterns. EXAFS analysis confirmed the results deduced from the rhodium-103 NMR spectra. The strikingly different shifting behavior observed with increasing ...

In the search for more efficient purification and separation methods for rare earths, remarkable results were obtained in the field of solvometallurgy. Replacing the aqueous phase partially or largely by polar molecular organic solvents can significantly improve extraction efficiency and selectivity in the separation of rare earths and transition metals. The effect of polar organic solvents on the sorption of rare-earth elements and transition ...

Much research has gone into the development of extraction processes capable of separating minor actinides from highly active raffinates generated by the PUREX process. In particular, the separation of americium from curium remains challenging because of the similarity of their chemical properties. A new class of diglycolamide extractants called "unsymmetrical" diglycolamides (UDGAs), which contain at least two different alkyl chains, have ...

Oscillatory baffled reactors (OBRs) utilise strategically placed baffles that interact with fluid pulsations to generate specific flow patterns, yielding exceptional mixing control independent of the net flow rate and residence time. In this study, the mixing performance of oscillatory baffled reactors (OBRs) for the hydrometallurgical separation of cobalt and nickel is systematically explored using a 3D-printed reactor. The impact of ...

This review highlights the use of CO2 as a reagent in hydrometallurgy, with emphasis on the new concept of circular hydrometallurgy. It is shown how waste CO2 can be utilised in hydrometallurgical operations for pH control or regeneration of acids for leaching. Metal-rich raffinate solutions generated after removal of the valuable metals can serve as feedstocks for mineral carbonation, providing alternative avenues for CO2 sequestration. ...