Appointments
2019-2020, Postdoc Research Fellow, Department of Mining Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
2020-present, Assistant Research Professor, Department of Mining Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky
Education
B.E., Mineral Processing Engineering, China University of Mining & Technology, 2011
M.S., Mining Engineering, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 2014
Ph.D., Mining Engineering, University of Kentucky, 2019
Publications
- Yang, X. and Honaker, R., 2020. Leaching Kinetics of Rare Earth Elements from Fire Clay Seam Coal. Minerals, 10(6), p.491.
- Zhang, W., Noble, A., Yang, X. and Honaker, R., 2020. A Comprehensive Review of Rare Earth Elements Recovery from Coal-Related Materials. Minerals5 (2020): 451.
- Yang, X., Zhang, W. and Honaker, R.Q., 2020. “Production of High Purity Rare Earth Oxide from Bituminous Coal-Based Sources using a Multi-Stage Selective Precipitate Circuit” 2020 SME Annual Conference. Phoenix, AZ, 2020.
- Zhang, W., Noble, A., Yang, X. and Honaker, R., 2020. Lithium leaching recovery and mechanisms from density fractions of an Illinois Basin bituminous coal. Fuel, 268(C).
- Honaker, J. Werner, X. Yang, A. Chandra, W. Zhang, and A. Noble, 2020. Pilot Plant Evaluations of Rare Earth Element Recovery and Concentration Efforts from Pre-Combustion Bituminous Coal Sources. Submitted to Conference of Metallurgists, August 24-27, 2020, Canada.
- Yang, X., Werner, J. and Honaker, R.Q., 2019. Leaching of rare Earth elements from an Illinois basin coal source. Journal of Rare Earths, 37(3), pp.312-321.
- Yang, X., Tang, H., Werner, J., and Honaker, R.Q., 2019. “Investigation into recovery of rare earth elements from Dotiki coal plant coarse refuse by heap leaching” 2019 SME Annual Conference. Denver, CO, 2019.
- Huang, Q., Yang, X. and Honaker, R.Q., 2019. Evaluation of Frother Types for Improved Flotation Recovery and Selectivity. Minerals, 9(10), p.590.
- Honaker, R.Q., Zhang, W., and Yang, X. “Conception of an integrated flowsheet for rare earth elements recovery from coal coarse refuse,” Minerals Engineering. 122. 233-240, 2018.
- Zhang, W., Yang, X., and Honaker, R.Q. “Association characteristic study and preliminary recovery investigation of rare earth elements from Fire Clay seam coal middlings.” 215. 551-560, 2018.
- Honaker R., Yang X., Chandra A., Zhang W., and Werner J. Hydrometallurgical Extraction of Rare Earth Elements from Coal: Proceedings of the First Global Conference on Extractive Metallurgy. Extraction 2018. January 2018.
Synergistic Activities
- Professional membership: Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME)
- Evaluation of manuscripts for journals: Minerals, Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration; International Journal of Coal Preparation and Utilization; Minerals; Energies; Metals.
- Honors/Awards: SME Rong Yu Wan PhD. Dissertation Award (2020), UK Mining Outstanding Graduate Student (2019); SME MPD Award (2017), SME WAAIME Scholarship (2016-2018); EPA P3 Award (2012).
- S. Department of Energy: Co-PI, Pilot-Scale Testing of an Integrated Circuit for the Extraction of Rare Earth Minerals and Elements from Coal and Coal Byproducts using Advanced Separation Technologies, $ 7,334,599.
- S. Department of Energy: Co-PI, Demonstration of Scaled-Production of Rare Earth Oxides and Critical Materials from Coal-Based Sources Using Innovative, Low-Cost Process Technologies and Circuits, $5,218,500.
Research Interests
Mineral Processing, Hydrometallurgy, Rare earth element and critical material extraction and purification, Mineral resources sustainability, Solution chemistry, Froth flotation.