Extraction and Recovery of Cerium from Rare Earth Ore by Solvent Extraction

Abstract

Rare earth elements are widely found in many minerals, some of which, such as bastn- aesite, monazite, and xenotime, are of great commercial value. Cerium (Ce) is the rare earth element with the highest content in light rare earth ore. Solvent extraction is the most effective and efficient method to recover and separate Ce from other light rare earth elements. After acid leaching of rare earth minerals, leaching solution was obtained, and cerium oxide of products of high purity was obtained by extraction and stripping. It is well known that Ce(IV) can be easily separated from the other RE(III) by adopting the traditional solvent extraction. Based on this principle, the clean process of oxidation roast ing and Ce(IV) separation for Sichuan bastnaesite was developed. And then, a preliminary flow sheet of two-step oxidation and extraction of Ce(IV) for Bayan Obo mixed rare earth ores was further proposed. Sulfuric acid rare earth solution containing Ce(IV) → reduces Ce 4+ to form Ce 3+ → NaOH base decomposition → HCl solubilization → Oxalic acid precipitation → Calcination.