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Key Laboratory of Integrated Exploitation of Bayan-Obo Multi-Metal Resources, IMUST
2015, Volume 10, Number 6 |
Location
Inner Mongolia University of Science & Technology
Baotou, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
Further Information: http://keylab.imust.cn
Overview
The Key Laboratory of Integrated Exploitation of Bayan-Obo Multi-Metal Resources (KLIEBR) at Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology (IMUST) was established on August 10th, 2008 under the co-sponsorship of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology and the Inner Mongolia Government. KLIEBR is located in Baotou that is around 565 kilometers (~350 miles) northwest of Beijing, and the world renowned Bayan-Obo Mine is about 150 kilometers (~93 miles) north of Baotou. The goal of the laboratory is to develop cutting edge technologies for the integrated exploitation of the multi-metal resources of the Bayan Obo mine, so as to provide a fundamental driving force to the economic development of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and the entire country of China.
Key Contact
Professor Baowei Li
Head Director, Key Laboratory of Integrated Exploitation of Bayan-Obo Multi-Metal Resources
Tel.: +86 0472 5951522
E-mail: lbaowei@imust.edu.cn
Research Foci
Bayan-Obo Mining District is well known around the globe for its natural and abundant reserves in rare earths (REs), thorium and niobium. The total reserve of REs rates as the world’s largest, while thorium and niobium rank number two. These valuable metals coexist with iron in Bayan-Obo Mine. Despite its much lower value than the just mentioned three valuable metals, iron was the first and foremost resource that had ever been extracted in the early period of mineral exploration of Bayan-Obo Mine. The exploitation of REs on an industrial scale was 50 years later than the discovery of Bayan-Obo Mine in 1925 by the famous geologist Dao-Heng Ding. These explorations have been among the key engines to the development of Baotou from an agricultural and pastural town to the most prominent, prosperous industrial city and economic center in northwestern China. Baotou also shares the reputation as one of the world’s best suitable regions for living and travel.
The general motivations for the KLIEBR are to:
● Develop advanced mining, separation, extraction and metallurgical processing of rare earths, thorium and niobium at high quality and with efficiency;
● Explore high added value end use of piled-up mine tailings, residue and slag, and recuperate the surrounding environment;
● Research cutting edge technology for high added value applications of rare earths, thorium and niobium;
● Set up a chain of modern industries in mining, separation, extraction and application of Bayan-Obo Mine resources and drive the economy.
Research Projects
● Improving the refining processes of Iron and Niobium by application of in-situ microwave and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) techniques;
● Developing advanced metallurgical processes to extract rare earths and niobium for manufacturing high quality steel;
● Fabricating advanced glass ceramics with unique properties from metallurgical tailings and mining residues;
● Synthesizing rare earths based or doped high-tech constructional and functional materials, such as magnets, hydrogen storage alloys and rare earth alloyed steel;
● Exploring novel metallurgical processes with high efficiency;
● Optimizing the exploitation strategies for mining and metallurgy processes.