Production of a Concentrate of Rare-Earth Metals from Wet-Process Phosphoric Acid

Abstract

Desorption of rare-earth metals (REMs) (lanthanum, yttrium, and ytterbium), as well as iron and aluminum, from the KU-2 sulfocation exchanger phase with solutions of mineral acids and ammonium nitrate and sulfate of various concentrations was studied. New data on the distribution of REMs in these systems were obtained. It was found that it is the most rational to use an ammonium nitrate solution with concentration of 300 g L–1. It is recommended to precipitate a concentrate of REMs from the resulting desorbate with ammonium carbonate, with the subsequent separation of the suspension by the electrofl otation method.