Inorganic Chemicals Industry ›› 2023, Vol. 55 ›› Issue (11): 64-69.doi: 10.19964/j.issn.1006-4990.2022-0743

• Research & Development • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Study on origin of tetravalent cerium in extraction and separation of rare earth

HU Guangshou(), LI Huping(), ZHOU Wanchun, LI Xiangdong, MA Xuhua   

  1. Gansu Rare Earth New Material Limited-Liability Company,Baiyin 730922,China
  • Received:2022-12-09 Online:2023-11-10 Published:2023-11-16
  • Contact: LI Huping E-mail:422696923@qq.com;649128876@qq.com

Abstract:

Rare earth smelting and separation enterprises generally have the problem that the component cerium exceeds the standard in the process of separating and purifying praseodymium and neodymium series compounds by the cascade extraction process.It was generally believed that the causes of the above problems is cerium quadrivalent,and usually reducing agents were added to the cerium/praseodymium separation section of the extraction line to ensure product quality.But the main reasons for its fluctuations were unexplained fully.The extraction system temperature,reaction time,stirring intensity,amount of air introduced,different saponification agent types and other factors in the process of extraction separation were studied to find the origin of cerium tetravalent.The results showed that the load of cerium in P507 extractant organic phase showed an increasing trend with the increase of extraction temperature,reaction time,stirring intensity and air introduction,and different magnesium salt saponification agents had a significant effect on the cerium production in P507 extractant organic phase.Laboratory simulation production process data showed that when magnesium oxide was used as a saponification agent,the saponification value of P507 organic phase was 0.50 mol/L,quantitative air was injected,the reaction temperature,time and the diameter of stirring paddle respectively were 50 ℃,10 h,10 cm,the mass concentration of cerium in the organic phase after the transformation of sulfuric acid system could reach 0.123 g/L,and the mass concentration of cerium in the organic phase after the transformation of hydrochloric acid system could reach 0.386 g/L.Under the same reaction conditions,using magnesium bicarbonate as a saponification agent,P507 organic phase only generated a trace of cerium,the mass concentration was only 0.005 1 g/L.The research results provided guidance for the subsequent process improvement.

Key words: rare earth, extraction, tetravalent cerium, magnesium salt saponification agent, separation and purification

CLC Number: