The extraction and separation of rare earth elements (REE) from raw materials are complicated due to their similar physical and chemical properties. Hydrometallurgical methods such as solvent extraction and ion exchange have been applied with low selectivity and efficiency at diluted solutions. Biosorption could be used as a hydrometallurgical process to extract, separate, and recover REE both in the industrial chain of lanthanides production and polluted streams. Biosorbents based on microbial biomass have been commonly described in the literature. However, some other low-cost natural compounds have also been searched to simulate and predict biosorption REE courses. This paper presents an overview of the potential use of some cost-effective natural compounds as REE biosorbents and the achievements and current status of biosorption technology to provide insights into this research frontier.
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