Abstract
The current interest in space-based mineral and metal extraction technologies, and the increased likelihood of establishing research facilities on the lunar surface, provides a strong impetus for high vacuum metallurgical research. The current work examines the viability of a thermal dissociation process for metal and metal oxide extraction from beneficiated and un-beneficiated lunar feedstocks. Thermal dissociation experiments using lunar regolith simulants and pure oxide samples were performed using a bespoke apparatus involving a vacuum reactor coupled with a solar simulator heat source. Specific focus was given to sub-liquidus operation and the sublimation of metal oxides under low temperature and low vacuum conditions. The thermodynamic and kinetic considerations, as well as the practical demonstration of such a process, are also discussed. This work demonstrates the potential of utilising the natural high vacuum conditions on the Moon for develo** novel high vacuum extraction processes.
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Shaw, M.G., Brooks, G.A., Rhamdhani, M.A., Duffy, A.R., Pownceby, M.I. (2023). High Vacuum Solar Thermal Dissociation for Metal and Oxide Extraction. In: Reddy, R.G., et al. New Directions in Mineral Processing, Extractive Metallurgy, Recycling and Waste Minimization. TMS 2023. The Minerals, Metals & Materials Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22765-3_8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-22765-3_8
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