Extraction and Separation of Rare Earth Elements from Victorian Brown Coal Fly Ash

Decades of coal combustion for energy have resulted in a significant waste problem. Coal fly ash, a waste by-product of this process, poses environmental challenges. This thesis explores the feasibility of converting this low-cost legacy waste into a valuable secondary resource for extracting globally critical rare earth elements. It develops a commercially scalable and environmentally sustainable process for extracting and separating rare earth elements from Victorian brown coal fly ash. This work presents an alternative solution to mitigate unsustainable mining practices and diversify Australia’s critical metal supply chain.