CMI Project 3.2.8 (previously 1.2.4) Total utilization of phosphogypsum waste for production of rare earth elements, fertilizers, and construction materials

This project is designed to integrate recovery of critical elements into total utilization of the huge phosphogypsum (PG) waste from phosphate mining with five major objectives: reduce radionuclides in PG thus removing a hurdle to its use; maximize REE leaching recovery; develop technologies for REE extraction from the leachate and production of mixed rare earth oxide/salt or individual rare earth metals (MREO/MRES/REMs); make fertilizers using PG with significant CO₂ sequestration; and produce low-cost cement and concrete using PG as raw material with dramatic reduction in carbon footprint compared to the current commercial operations.