Stephens, T. | 10th International Conference on the Remediation and Management of Contaminated Sediments, 11-14 February, New Orleans, Louisiana, 25 slides, 2019

A multi-year pilot study was conducted using geotextile tubes to contain and dewater acid mine drainage (AMD) high-water content slurry so that rare earth elements (REEs) could be recovered. A total of 814 AMD samples were collected from 140 sites in four states. Both untreated raw AMD and solid precipitated AMD sludge were analyzed. A full-scale geotextile tube dewatering and containment operation was installed at one site to facilitate capture of 100% of the sludge generated that contained high concentrations of REEs. The methodologies incorporated and phases of the pilot project are presented to create the proof-of-concept. The presentation details how the pilot project was scaled to a production facility for economical capture of REE at an abandoned mine site. It also covers the cost of the operation, the economic feasibility, and the long-term positive economic opportunity for the Appalachia region that is offered by the application of the REE recovery. https://www.battelle.org/docs/default-source/conference-proceedings/2019-sediments-conference-proceedings/b7.-beneficial-use-of-contaminated-sediments/b7_1415_-8_stephens.pdf?sfvrsn=63842dfe_2 More Information: https://geosyntheticsmagazine.com/2019/10/01/recovery-of-rare-earth-elements-from-acid-mine-drainage-using-geotextile-tubes/ To read more on West Virginia University's Rare Earth Extraction Facility: https://www.energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/files/serve?File_id=AC6480D2-9A7F-4160-BE77-086CC84C7489