Effect of thermal pre-treatment on rare earth recovery from ionic clays was studied.
Macro- and microstructural changes occurring in clays during heating were identified
Rare earth recovery increased with the temperature up to 300 °C, then decreased.
Improved clay permeability due to loss of adsorbed water in the interval 100–300 °C
Dehydroxylation and structural loss over 500 °C led to REE fixation to the surface.