K. Strickland
L3 Process Development,
Australia
Summary:
L3 Process Development collaborates with clients to innovate and commercialize processes for recovering technological metals, focusing on sustainability and efficiency using our "scrum" approach to project delivery. The presentation uses a combination of past project case studies to present our approach as applied to developing REE separation flowsheets. The presentation will first introduce L3 Process Development's structure and capabilities. Then, the typical process development process will be discussed and its shortcomings contrasted with L3's approach. L3's "scrum" process development approach will then presented as we apply it to the development of rare earth separation flowsheets using a combination of case studies from inception through piloting. L3's extensive rare earth element experience started in 2012 and is ongoing with multiple clients such as Niocorp, Aclara, Commerce Resources, and the US Department of Energy. We are involved in the extraction, separation, and metallization aspects of the rare earth elements supply chain. L3 is also involved in scientific research on new rare earth element processing technologies in collaboration with Virginia Tech and West Virginia University.