# name
Valorisation of Red Mud: Disclosing the Potential of an Abundant Residue

# metadata.dc.description.abstract[].value
Red mud (RM), the primary waste product of the aluminium industry, is no-
table for its high concentrations of metals and rare earth elements (REE). Efforts have
been made to develop extraction methods for REE recovery from RM, aiming to enhance
its valorisation and reduce the European reliance on external REE sources—particularly
crucial for technological advancements and the transition to renewable energy. However,
these methods have only been limited to low technology readiness levels (TRLs), with
no economically or technically viable processing routes yet defined to enable large-scale
industrialisation within a circular economy model. This study characterised RM sam-
ples from the Seydi¸sehir region in Türkiye using different techniques and explored the
experimental process for recovering metals and REE. Moreover, the study assessed the
global prospective potential of RM based on technical and economic data, as well as the
sustainability of the implemented process through the life cycle assessment (LCA) tool.
Results showed a total REE concentration of up to 1600 ppm, with Ce, being the most
abundant (426 ± 27 ppm), followed by La, Nd, and Sc. Concentration efficiencies for La and
Nd ranged between 240–300%. Sc, Y, Ce, La, and Nd have significant usage in European
markets and represent prime RM targets for further prospecting. The LCA revealed that
the highest global warming potential of the sequential extraction process was attributed to
hydroxylamine hydrochloride and hydrogen peroxide. The findings highlight the need to
explore alternative, more eco-friendly reagents to improve RM valorisation

# metadata.dc.rights[].value
cc-by (c)  Carlos A. Vielma et al., 2025

# metadata.dc.source[].value
Articles publicats en revistes (Ciència dels Materials i Química Física)

# metadata.dc.title[].value
Valorisation of Red Mud: Disclosing the Potential of an Abundant Residue