COMBUSTION WASTE LANDFILL SITES AS ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS

References: 17th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2017, www.sgemviennagreen.org, SGEM2017 Vienna GREEN Conference Proceedings, ISBN 978-619-7408-28-7 / ISSN 1314-2704, 27 - 29 November, 2017, Vol. 17, Issue 43, 51-58 pp; DOI: 10.5593/sgem2017H/43/S18.007

ABSTRACT

Increasing the possibilities to utilize fly ashes from power stations is one of the major strategic directions involved in the implementation of the waste directive imposed by the European Parliament, enabling the protection of natural resources and a reduction of the amount of waste stored. Investigations into fly ashes from power stations indicate such waste contains rare earth elements (REEs) in much higher amounts than their average content in earth’s crust. It has resulted in an increased interest in the utilization of waste produced in the combustion of fuels for energy generation purposes. The article presents the evaluation of the REE’s potential in coal combustion waste (ash-slags) deposited at „Gardawice” landfill site. This landfill site was commissioned in 1978 and there are deposited ash-slag compounds from wet treatment of furnace waste. No clear changes in the contents of rare earth elements in ash-slags in the landfill profile have been noted. Based on the conducted research estimated store of potentially recoverable rare earth elements amounts 4.6 thousand ton.

Keywords: rare earth elements, fly ashes, landfill site