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Scientists have demonstrated that citric acid outperforms other organic acids in extracting valuable rare earth elements from red mud, an industrial byproduct. Through systematic optimization, researchers achieved leaching efficiencies exceeding 90% using environmentally friendly conditions.

Breakthrough in Sustainable Rare Earth Extraction

Researchers have identified citric acid as the most effective organic acid for extracting rare earth elements (REEs) from red mud, according to recent scientific reports. The investigation, which compared multiple organic acids including ascorbic acid, p-Toluenesulfonic acid, and acetic acid, revealed that citric acid demonstrated superior leaching capabilities due to its enhanced complexing ability with rare earth metals. Sources indicate this finding could pave the way for more environmentally friendly extraction methods for these critical materials.