149 Research to Accelerate Recovery of Critical Minerals from Primary and Secondary Resources (Posters)
Innovative technology is needed to mine critical minerals to meet unprecedented demand. This session invites to present research in characterization, extraction, separation, in-situ recovery, and related areas that accelerate the recovery of critical minerals from traditional, secondary and unconventional resources.
Monday, 20 October 2025
8:00 AM - 5:30 PM
HBGCC, Hall 1
Influence of Hydration on the Thermochemistry of Rare Earth Nitrates
Paper number: 149-5
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 8:00 AM
Authors
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Konrad Burkmann Presenting AuthorArizona State University, Navrotsky Eyring Center for Materials of the Universe, TEMPE, AZ
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Godwin AgbangaArizona State University, Navrtosky Eyring center for Materials of the Universe, TEMPE, AZ
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Cayden LoeffelholzArizona State university, Navrotsky Eyring Center for Materials of the Universe, TEMPE, AZ
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Manuel ScharrerArizona State university, Navrotsky Eyring Center for Materials of the Universe, TEMPE, AZ
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Klaus BohmhammelTU Bergakademie Freiberg, Institut für Physikalische Chemie, Freiberg, Saxony
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Alexandra NavrotskyArizona State University, Navrotsky Eyring Center for Materials of the Universe, Tempe, Arizona
Abstract
Rare earth nitrates are common intermediates in the hydrometallurgical separation of rare earth elements. They also serve as important precursors for synthesizing a variety of rare earth compounds significant to industry and geology, such as rare earth carbonates [1-3]. However, their thermodynamic properties are still poorly constrained [3] and their flexible hydration states complicate understanding the energetic driving force of industrial, scientific and geological processes as well as their thermodynamic modelling. Therefore, we determined thermodynamic parameters, namely enthalpies of formation, heat capacity functions, and entropies using several calorimetric techniques as well as established estimation procedures [1,2]. Our results show a clear trend in their enthalpies of dissolution in 5 N HCl decreasing from La to Lu nitrates and in the dependence of their heat capacities and absolute entropies on the water content. By comparing these data with those derived from thermodynamic equilibrium calculations using data of other salt hydrates, we found a consistent influence of crystal water on the properties of metal salt hydrates in general without a clear dependence on structure of the compound and charge of the ions in it. These findings will lead to deeper knowledge of the formation of salt hydrates during industrial processes in general and will help to further understand geological processes in the evolution of hydrated minerals.
Literature
[1] G. A. Agbanga, M. Scharrer, C. G. White, B. F. Woodfield, A. Navrotsky, J. Chem. Thermodyn. 2025, 209, 107529.
[2] G. A. Agbanga, M. Scharrer, K. Burkmann, C. G. White, B. F. Woodfield, A. Navrotsky, submitted to Inorg. Chem.
[3] M. Scharrer, G. A. Agbanga, B. L. Brugman, M. Guild, G. Oliveira, J. Liu, X. Guo, A. Navrotsky, Mater. Today 2025, online available: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mattod.2025.05.010.
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6
doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-412960
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