Systematic Review
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AI-assigned paper type based on the abstract. Classification may not be perfect — flag errors using the feedback button.
Tier 1
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Systematic review or meta-analysis. Synthesizes findings across many studies. Strongest evidence.
Policy & Risk
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Rare Earth Elements Recovery from Primary and Secondary Resources Using Flotation: A Systematic Review
Applied Sciences2023
34 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 60
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
This systematic review examined flotation methods for recovering rare earth elements from both primary mineral sources and secondary recycling streams, finding that collector chemistry and particle surface modification are critical to separation efficiency. While not about microplastics, the research addresses sustainable resource recovery and reducing mining waste that can contribute to environmental contamination.
Study Type
Review
Rare earth minerals (REMs) contain rare earth elements (REEs) that are important in modern technologies due to their unique magnetic, phosphorescent, and catalytic properties. However, REMs are not only non-renewable resources but also non-uniformly distributed on the Earth’s crust, so the processing of REE-bearing secondary resources via recycling is one potential route to ensure the long-term sustainability of REE supply. Flotation—a method that separates materials based on differences in their surface wettability—is a process applied for both mineral processing and recycling of REEs, especially when the particles are fine and/or a high-purity product is required. In this review, studies about rare earth flotation from 2012 to 2021 were systematically reviewed using the PRISMA guideline. It was found that most REM flotation research works focused on finding better collectors and depressants while, for recycling, studies on advanced flotation techniques like froth flotation, ion flotation, solvent sublation, electroflotation, and adsorbing colloid flotation with an emphasis on the recovery of dissolved REEs from aqueous solutions dominated.