WO2026109694 - PROCESS FOR THE RECOVERY OF REE AND PGM FROM SECONDARY SOURCES
National phase entry:
Publication Number
WO/2026/109694
Publication Date
28.05.2026
International Application No.
PCT/EP2025/083794
International Filing Date
21.11.2025
Title **
[English]
PROCESS FOR THE RECOVERY OF REE AND PGM FROM SECONDARY SOURCES
[French]
PROCÉDÉ DE RÉCUPÉRATION D'ETR ET DE MGP À PARTIR DE SOURCES SECONDAIRES
Applicants **
UMICORE
Inventors
HEULENS, Jeroen
BOGAERTS, Caroline
Priority Data
24214693.4
22.11.2024
EP
Application details
| Total Number of Claims/PCT | * |
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International Searching Authority |
EPO
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| Recordal of a Change of the Applicant's Name/Address |
Change of Applicant's Name and Address
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| Type of Assignment |
The Standard Agent's Assignment
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| Applicant's Legal Status |
Legal Entity
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| Entry into National Phase under |
Chapter I
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| Patent Delivery |
Send the Letters Patent by Courier
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| Translation |
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* The data is based on automatic recognition. Please verify and amend if necessary.
** IP-Coster compiles data from publicly available sources. If this data includes your personal information, you can contact us to request its removal.
Quotation for National Phase entry
| Country | Stages | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| China | Filing, Examination, Granting | 1996 | |
| EPO | Filing, Examination, Granting | 8126 | |
| Japan | Filing, Examination, Granting | 2124 | |
| South Korea | Filing, Examination, Granting | 2009 | |
| USA | Filing, Examination, Granting | 4740 |
Total:
18,995
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Abstract[English]
The present invention is in the field of metal recycling and concerns a process for the recovery of rare earth elements (REE) and platinum group metals (PGM). The process comprises the steps of preparing a metallurgical charge, comprising PGM- bearing catalysts, REE-bearing swarf and fluxing agents; feeding the metallurgical charge to a smelting furnace operating in reducing conditions; smelting the metallurgical charge, thereby obtaining a liquid Fe-bullion containing the majority of the PGM, and a liquid slag containing the majority of the REE; and, separating the bullion and the slag; wherein the REE-bearing swarf and the PGM-bearing catalysts are smelted simultaneously. The process provides a unique synergy of smelting PGM-bearing catalysts and REE- bearing permanent magnets together, resulting in the recovery of PGM and REE in a single process.[French]
La présente invention se rapporte au domaine du recyclage de métaux et concerne un procédé de récupération d'éléments de terres rares (ETR) et de métaux du groupe du platine (MGP). Le procédé comprend les étapes consistant à préparer une charge métallurgique, comprenant des catalyseurs contenant des MGP, des copeaux contenant des ETR et des agents de fluxage ; à introduire la charge métallurgique dans un four de fusion fonctionnant dans des conditions réductrices ; à faire fondre la charge métallurgique, ce qui permet d'obtenir un lingot de Fe liquide contenant la majorité des MGP, et un laitier liquide contenant la majorité des ETR ; et à séparer le lingot et le laitier ; les copeaux contenant les ETR et les catalyseurs contenant les MGP étant fondus simultanément. Le procédé fournit une synergie unique de fusion de catalyseurs contenant des MGP et d'aimants permanents contenant des ETR ensemble, conduisant ainsi à la récupération de MGP et d'ETR dans un seul procédé.