Processing of rare earth concentrates
摘要
The paper describes process details for extraction of rare earths from an intermediate grade concentrate of Madhya Pradesh region in India and a South African slag. The xenotime concentrate obtained from the former place was an intermediate grade (47%) rare earth phosphate containing both monazite and xenotime. The South African slag was a low-grade waste product typically containing only 4% of rare earths. The rare earth resource concentrates have been treated individually by different methods such as alkali fusion and alkali leaching to convert them into their mixed oxides. Both types of materials have been processed and greater than 98% solubilization of metal values has been achieved in the intermediate grade xenotime and 80% from the South African slag. The residue of xenotime hydroxide has been washed thoroughly to collect the sodium phosphate, as by-product and the slurry pH have been adjusted to separate rare earths from thorium effectively. Other impurities such as uranium and iron have been removed by precipitation of rare earths by oxalic acid. It has been possible to recover ＞95% yttrium along with other rare earth oxides.