Environmentally friendly mineral recovery process licensed

Schematic of sequential pass and staged DME-driven FP.
Schematic of sequential pass and staged DME-driven fractional precipitation (FP).

CMI researchers at Idaho National Laboratory conducted the activity for this highlight

Innovation 
Advancements in dimethyl ether (DME)-driven fractional precipitation (FP) result in enhanced material purity via energy- and water-efficient processing. 

Achievement
Trevi Systems and Eden Tech/CircularH2O have each licensed DME-driven FP for distinct field-of-use applications in water treatment and mineral isolation.

Significance and Impact

  • DME-driven FP enables water softening and zero liquid discharge in addition to critical mineral recovery.
  • Development and commercialization of DME-driven FP for water treatment promote its adoption for critical mineral production.

Hub Targets Addressed 

  • Highly selective separation from complex sources
  • Reduced energy inputs and improved environmental performance
     
image of orange crystals on gray rock
(Nd/Pr)2(SO4)3 crystals produced via DME-Driven FP. 

 

image of hand holding a vial of liquid and white precipitate
DME-driven Zero Liquid Discharge generates solid NaCl.