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Minerals Engineering
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/mineng
Metal Extraction and Forming Division, CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory, Jamshedpur 831007, India
Mineral Resources Research Division, Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon 305-350, South Korea
a r t i c l e
i n f o
Article history:
Received 25 February 2015
Revised 8 May 2015
Accepted 10 May 2015
Keywords:
Monazite
Rare earth metals (REMs)
Mineral beneciation
Leaching
Solvent extraction
a b s t r a c t
The escalating demand of rare earth metals (REMs) in various applications and their continuous depleting
ores have laid emphasis to produce metals from their complex resources by developing energy efcient
and eco-friendly processes. Present review reports the commercial processes based on pyrohydro or
hybrid techniques as well as systematic research for process development to recover rare earth from
monazite. The salient ndings on mining and physical beneciation of different beach sand deposits containing monazite are reviewed. Monazite concentrate obtained are processed under different condition of
time, temperature and concentration using acidic or alkaline solution. They are usually processed using
thermal treatment followed by REMs recovery under optimized conditions of leaching and their extraction via solvent extraction, precipitation, etc. to produce salts/concentrate of REMs from the leached solution. The processes developed to recover REMs are reviewed and recommendations are made in respect
to various methodologies and objectives.
2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Contents
1.
2.
3.
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Processing of different minerals to obtain monazite concentrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.1.
Mining . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.2.
Physical beneficiation of monazite minerals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.2.1.
Flotation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.2.2.
Gravity separation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2.2.3.
Electrostatic and magnetic separation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Processing of monazite concentrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1.
Direct leaching of monazite concentrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1.1.
Direct leaching with acids . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1.1.1. Leaching in sulfuric acid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1.1.2. Leaching in sulfuric acid after mechanochemical treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1.1.3. Leaching in nitric acid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1.1.4. Leaching of hydrous oxide cake of beach sand monazite in nitric acid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1.1.5. Leaching in hydrochloric acid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1.1.6. Comparison of leaching processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1.2.
Direct leaching in alkali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.1.2.1. Leaching of RE concentrate of monazite in ammonium carbonate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.2.
Pre-treatment of monazite concentrate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.3.
Leaching of monazite concentrate after pre-treatment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.4.
Overview of the leaching technologies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.5.
Processing of leach solution by solvent extraction (SX) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Corresponding authors. Fax: +91 657 2345213 (M.K. Jha), +82 42 8683418
(J.Y. Lee).
E-mail addresses: mkjha@nmlindia.org (M.K. Jha), jinlee@kigam.re.kr (J.Y. Lee).
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mineng.2015.05.003
0892-6875/ 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
103
103
104
105
105
105
106
106
106
106
106
106
107
108
108
109
109
111
111
111
112
112
103
4.
3.6.
Recovery of REs from the leach solution by precipitation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3.7.
Environmental aspects of monazite processing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Conclusions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Acknowledgements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
1. Introduction
Rare earth metals (REMs) are group of 15 elements of the lanthanide series including Sc and Y, which are mainly classied into
two groups based on their ionic radius; light rare earth elements
(LREEs) from La to Sm and heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) from
Eu to Lu. These metals possess similar physiochemical properties
and universally originate in the same mineral assemblies. The
meticulous spectroscopic and magnetic properties of REMs enables
them to play imperative role from industrial to advanced material
sciences including hybrid and electric automobiles, uorescent
lights, metal alloys, critical military applications and in the manufacturing of high intensity magnets, electrical assemblies, etc. (Kim
and Osseo-Asare, 2012). The USGS mineral commodity survey of
2015 reported the global reserves of rare earth elements (REEs)
to be 130 million tons in 2014. The global demand for rare earth
oxides is estimated to grow from 120,148 tons in 2014 to
150,766 tons in 2020 at a CAGR of 3.9% driven largely due to escalating demand of some particular RE oxide (Castilloux, 2014).
However, it was previously estimated that the demand will exceed
200,000 tons in 2014 but REEs demand surpassed 200,000 tons per
year, with an exceeding supply of 40,000 tons annually for several
years (Panda et al., 2014). This deciency affects the global market
of REMs. As a result, the world immediately needs fresh, enduring
supply of REEs to meet its requirement. Hatch in 2012 presented
the global estimates of demand for total rare earth oxides in
2011 as presented in Fig. 1.
According to EPA, United States Environmental Protection
Agency, 2012, the abundance of REEs in earths crust shows that
lanthanides with lower atomic numbers are more abundant than
one with higher atomic numbers as presented in Table 1. They
do not occur as metallic elements but exists in wide range of minerals of carbonates, oxides, phosphates and silicates as trivalent
cations. Table 2 presents few of these minerals with the approximate percentage of RE oxide content (Hedrick, 2004; Kumari
et al., 2013). In most deposits, REEs can be recovered as the primary product or as a co-products/by-products of certain other
minerals. These RE minerals are located throughout the world,
113
113
113
113
113
Table 1
Abundance of rare earth elements in earths crust.
Elements
Atomic number
Abundance (ppm)
Lanthanum
Cerium
Praseodymium
Neodymium
Promethium
Samarium
Europium
Gadolinium
Terbium
Dysprosium
Holmium
Erbium
Thulium
Ytterbium
Lutetium
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
30
60
6.7
27
1018
5.3
1.3
4.0
0.7
3.8
0.8
2.1
0.3
2.0
0.4
104
Table 2
RE oxides present in rare earth minerals.
Carbonate
Mineral
REO (%)
Cebaite Ba3Ce2(CO3)5F2
32
Phosphate
Mineral
REO (%)
Xenotime YPO4
61
Florencite CeAl3(PO4)2(OH)6
32
Silicate
Mineral
REO (%)
Kainosite Ca2(Y,
Ce)2Si4O12CO3H2O
38
Oxide
Mineral
REO (%)
53
Table 3
Rare earth contents of major and potential source of monazite minerals. (Percentage of total rare-earth oxide).
Rare earth
elements
Cerium
Lanthanum
Neodymium
Praseodymium
Samarium
Europium
Gadolinium
Terbium
Dysprosium
Erbium
Yttrium
Holmium
Thulium
Ytterbium
Lutetium
TOTAL
Monazite
North Capel, West
Australia
Green Cove
Springs, USA
Nangang,
Guangdong, China
East Coast,
Brazil
Mount Weld,
Australia
46.00
23.90
17.40
5.00
2.53
.0530
1.49
.0350
.7000
.2000
2.40
.0530
Trace
.1000
Trace
100.00
45.80
21.50
18.60
5.30
3.10
.8000
1.80
.3000
0.6000
.2000
2.50
.1000
Trace
.1000
.0100
100.00
43.70
17.50
17.50
5.00
4.90
.1600
6.60
.2600
.9000
Trace
3.20
.1100
Trace
.2100
Trace
100.00
42.70
23.00
17.00
4.10
3.00
.1000
2.00
.7000
.8000
.3000
2.40
.1200
Trace
2.40
.1400
100.00
47.00
24.00
18.50
4.50
3.00
.1000
1.00
.1000
.4000
.1000
1.40
Trace
Trace
.0200
ND
100.00
51.00
26.00
15.00
4.00
1.80
.4000
1.00
.1000
.2000
.2000
Trace
.1000
Trace
.1000
Trace
100.00
ND not detected.
2.1. Mining
Mining involves removing mineralized rock containing RE
deposits from ground through open-pit or underground methods.
Open pit operations are performed by the worlds largest RE mines,
Bayan Obo in China and Mountain Pass in United States using
processes of standard drilling, blasting, loading, and dragging to
the mill procedures. Various open pit excavation methods, such
as scrapers, front-end loaders, shovels, and draglines, are used for
mining where water is not accessible (Gupta and Krishnamurthy,
2005). However, underground room and pillar mining are conducted where REs are recovered as by-product (Jackson and
Christiansen, 1993). Placers sands are under water/affected by a
high water table and are mined by dredges. Proper steps for the
treatment of a placer monazite concentrate by dredging are also
reported Bucket wheel units are used to mine the shallower sands,
while bucket line and suction dredges are used for mining deeper
material (Panigrahi, 2013). A degree of initial concentration is
usually performed at the dredge site itself. The material is then
transported as slurry through a pipeline to the beneciation plant.
Table 4
Selected rare earth companies and their primary mines.
Company
Country
Primary mines
Molycorp, Inc.
United
States
Australia
Canada
Australia
Australia
United
States
Canada
Mountain Pass
Australia
Kvanefjeld
Canada
Canada
Canada
Canada
Mount Weld
Nechalacho (Thor Lake)
Dubbo
Nolans Bore
Bear Lodge (Bull Hill
Zone)
Steenkampskraal
105
Ore
CRUSHING/ GRINDING
CONCENTRATION
(Flotation)
Salt
ROASTING/ CRACKING
(Eg. Pug roast or Salt roast)
LEACHING
FILTRATION
Acid or Caustic
Acid/ Alkali
Solution
Residue
Liquor
STABILIZATION
PURIFICATION
2.2.1. Flotation
Bulk heavy mineral concentrate are also produced from ne
grained beach sand deposits by otation using fatty acid or
phosphoric acid esters as collectors depending upon the ease of
desorption prior to separation (Ferron et al., 1991). Monazite
otation using sodium oleate as collector, as well as the effect of
sodium metasilicate and sodium sulphide on the oatability of m
onazitezirconrutile and its characteristics has also been investigated (Cheng et al., 1993; Pavez and Peres, 1993a,b; Dixit and
PRECIPITATION/
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
Raffinate or
Barren Liquor
RE salts
Fig. 2. Flow-sheet of a rare earth processing.
106
The process is used in United States for the selective solubilisation of either Th or REs from monazite under controlled conditions
on industrial scale (Parker and Baroch, 1971). Fernelius et al. in
1946 as well as Kim and Osseo Asare in 2012 used 98% sulfuric acid
to leach out monazite at 200230 C which was subsequently
neutralized to separate REEs and Th. Pilkington and Wylie in
1947 reported for the recovery of RE by the precipitation of the rare
earth double sulfate. The process consists of digestion of monazite
in sulfuric acid followed by precipitation of REs with oxalate anions
under controlled pH from the sulfate solution (Fig. 3) (Welt et al.,
1958). The oxalate precipitate containing Th and RE oxides are
dissolved in nitric acid followed by selective extraction of REMs
with tributyl phosphate from the nitrate solution.
3.1.1.2. Leaching in sulfuric acid after mechanochemical
treatment. Kim et al. in 2009 reported the sulfuric acid leaching
after mechanochemical treatment of beneciated monazite
(212 lm size) obtained from the beach sand deposit of Malaysia
(in wt% 20.5 Ce, 8.5 La, 6.9 Nd, 1.4 Pr, 0.7 Sm, 0.5 Gd, 0.8 Y and
11.4P) with sodium hydroxide at room temperature. The formation
of RE hydroxides and sodium phosphate was found to be complete
within 120 min grinding according to the reaction (2) and about
92.3% P was removed by washing. Subsequent leaching carried
out of the washed product with 0.05 N sulfuric acid solution
enabled to improve the yield of each of La, Nd and Sm to around
107
Ground Monazite
Conc. H2SO4
LEACHING
Residue
FILTRATION
Monazite Sulfate Solution
Oxalic acid
PRECIPITATION
Oxalate Precipitate
Th, RE
Oxalate Supernatant
U, PO43-, SO42Octyl Pyro Phosphoric
Acid (OPPA)
CALCINATION
Extract Phase U
FeSO4
HF
LEACHING
Precipitate, UF4
Monazite Nitrate
Solution
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
Aqueous Raffinate
RE, except Ce
Organic Extract
Ce(IV), Th
STRIPPING
Aqueous, Ce(III)
NaNO2 Solution
Organic, Th
H2O
Aqueous Th Solution
Fig. 3. Flow-sheet for the processing of monazite sand by digesting in sulfuric acid.
Table 5
The chemical composition of the ores of Tomtor and Chuktukon deposits.
Elements (oxide form)
Contents %, (mass)
Tomtor deposits
Chuktukon deposits
10.2
6.7
5.0
17.1
16.0
12
2.6
3.8
3.2
3.8
0.5
1.5
7.1
0.5
0.9
4.9
4.8
51.4
12.4
0.9
0.4
2.5
4.8
Pr forms rst Pr(OH)3 and then Pr6O11 nH2O in the milled powder. These oxides are not easily dissolved in dilute H2SO4 solutions
(Zhang and Saito, 1998). These rare earth oxides are mostly dissolved above 5 N acid concentration. Thus, mechanochemical
milling plays a signicant role in achieving high recovery of REEs
from the leaching of the milled powder at room temperature.
3.1.1.3. Leaching in nitric acid. Different researchers used nitric
acid for the dissolution of monazite and other associated metals
from apatites (phosphorites) containing monazite (Aly and
Mohammed, 1999; Jorjani et al., 2011; Konvisar et al., 1991). The
nitric acid is more effective for leaching REEs from phosphorites
than sulfuric acid (Bunus and Dumitrescu, 1992). Gupta et al. in
2002 reported the dissolution of monazite sand in concentrated
HNO3 with HF and HClO4 in ratio 3:1.5:0.5 in a Teon vessel for
24 h at 80 C. Recently, Kuzmin et al. in 2012 used the nitric acid
to leach out the metals from the ground RE ore of 74 lm size
(Chuktukon deposits, East Siberia, Russia) containing 37% REOs
108
Ore
MILLING
Ground Ore
HNO3
AUTOCLAVE LEACHING
Circulating HNO3
FILTRATION
Leaching Solution
HNO3
Production
Na2CO3
Nitrate Solution
PRECIPITATION
THERMAL DECOMPOSITION
Precipitate for processing to
recover REMs
Vapour gas
mixture
-MnO2 (Pyrolusite)
Fig. 4. Schematic ow-sheet for the breakdown of the Chuktukon rare earth ore.
5
6
109
Monazite
GRINDING
Ground Ore (mesh size: 200-270; 130g)
LEACHING
Filtrate
(Na3PO4 & excess NaOH)
FILTRATION
Precipitate
(Hydrous oxide of U, Th and REEs)
SEVERAL WASHING
FILTRATION
Precipitate; Th + REEs
DILUTION
STRIPPING
ACIDIFICATION
Water
Na2CO3 (1M)
HNO3
Uranyl Nitrate
PRECIPITATION
Monazite 85-95%
pure
Ammonia
MAGNETIC
SEPARATION
Uranium
Fig. 5. Modied ow-sheet of alkaline digestion, leaching and extraction of
uranium from Egyptian monazite.
Light fraction
Monazite 99%
ALKALINE
DIGESTION
FILTRATION
Phosphate solution
Hydroxide cake
Th, U, Ra, REE
NEUTRALISATION
FILTRATION
Cake II Th & U
hydroxide
REE Chloride
Chloride solution
Ra, REE
PRECIPITATION
Mesothorium cake
Ba(Ra)SO4
Fig. 6. Basic steps for chemical processing of monazite at USAM.
110
Table 6
Direct leaching processes of different monazite concentrate using acid or alkali to recover REMs.
Source material
Medium
Reference
Hydrochloric
acid
Nitric acid
Dissolution of Eu from Egyptian black sand monazite in HCl followed by its separation using
combined chemical reductionprecipitation techniques was used
REs ore of East Siberia possessing monazite containing 37% REOs is leached in HNO3
Rabie (2007)
Nitric acid
Brazilian monazite
Sulfuric acid
Egyptian Monazite
Sulfuric acid
Monazite
Sulfuric acid
Bald Mountain
monazite
concentrate
Monazite concentrate
Sulfuric acid
Monazite sand
Sulfuric acid
Monazite sand
Sulfuric acid
Indian monazite
Sodium
hydroxide
Monazite sand was digested in concentrated HNO3 with HF and HClO4 in a tefon vessel for 24 h at
80 C. After complete evaporation to dryness, the mass was dissolved in 5 M HNO3
Monazite was leached in H2SO4, the pH of sulfate solution is adjusted and oxalate anions are added.
The oxalate precipitate is separated, dried and calcined to their oxides. Th and REOs are dissolved in
HNO3, and contacted with TBP for selective extraction of REMs
Complete U, Th and RE were separated from Egyptian monazite after H2SO4 leaching process where
mineral was digested by 98% H2SO4 and dissolved in cold water (1:20) then precipitated with
ammonia (1:1) solution
Acid digestion of monazite with 98% sulfuric acid at 200230 C, yield a grey colored metal sulfate
solid product which dissolves in cold water, ltered and neutralized to separate REEs and Th
Monazite concentrate was decomposed by conventional sulfuric acid cure treatment and the leach
liquor was processed by SX to yield 99% ThO2 product. Th rafnate was further processed for the
recovery of RE oxide product
Pressure leaching, electrogenerated chlorine leaching and sulfuric acid leaching were tested, among
which concentrated sulfuric acid leaching system, results in 99% leaching of La and Nd at 2208 C
Monazite was digested in 93% H2SO4 for 4 h at 210 C results in 99% digestion if sands are ground to
at least 95%65 mesh before digesting
Monazite sand is digested at 200220 C with 9396% H2SO4 and the product was dissolved in water.
The resulting liquor was treated by various methods to recover and separate Th, REs, and U products
The Indian Rare Earths Ltd. plant situated at always in Kerala, uses four major stages to attack
monazite by NaOH at 140 C to recover REs
Brazilian monazite
Sodium
hydroxide
Sodium
hydroxide
Monazite
Monazite
Australian monazite
Egyptian monazite
Monazite
Korean monazite
Sulfuric acid
Sodium
hydroxide
Sodium
hydroxide
Sodium
hydroxide
Sodium
hydroxide
Sodium
hydroxide
Egyptian monazite
Sodium
hydroxide
Egyptian monazite
Sodium
hydroxide
Monazite
Sodium
hydroxide
Sodium
hydroxide
Sodium
hydroxide
Monazite
Monazite from
Moemeik Myitsone
Area
Hongcheon monazite
Sodium
hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide was added to monazite and the aqueous tri-sodium phosphate was separated
from a solid phase, a hydroxide cake, by ltration. The cake was then leached in HCl for REE recovery
Monazite concentrates was leached with caustic soda solution at 130 C in ball mill for complete
extraction of mineral without pulverization, consuming half of caustic soda originally required for
decomposition
Monazite digestion using 70% NaOH solution under pressure for 2 h at 150 C results in the formation
of insoluble RE and Th hydroxides
Processing of Australian monazite concentrate using 80% w/v NaOH at 140 C for 3 h having wt ratio
of NaOH:monazite of 1.5:1 resulted in the extraction of 98% REs
Complete alkaline leaching of Egyptian monazite was attained at 150 C and 175 C within 2.5 and
1 h respectively in ball mill autoclaves, where grinding and leaching takes place simultaneously
The alkali decomposition of monazite with hot concentrated 5075% NaOH proceeds as was carried
out at 150 C in an autoclave
50% NaOH (w/v) solubilizes 99.99% phosphate of Korean monazite, at 170 C, 100 g/L pulp density in
4 h. Kinetics of phosphate leaching tted well with model chemical reaction control i.e. 1 (1 X)
1/2 = kct, Ea = 73.65 kJ/mole
Hydrous oxide cake of monazite was prepared by digesting it in 50% NaOH for 4 h at 140 C followed
by leaching with alkaline carbonate solutions. This cake was dissolved in 4 M HNO3 for further
extraction of Th using Aliquat 336 in kerosene
10 g monazite was treated with 50 wt.% of NaOH solution and boiled for 4 h at 140 C. Solution was
diluted up to 20 wt.% NaOH concentration and boiled again for 1 h and ltered at 80 C. U is easily
separated after Na2CO3 leaching of the residue obtained
Monazite was digested in caustic soda to crack the phosphate matrix and then leached in acid to
dissolve rare earth along with radium
Monazite is treated with 6070% NaOH at 120150 C and after ltration Na3PO4 is separated from
RE hydroxide
Monazite was slowly added to NaOH solution and heated to 140 C for 3 h. The mixture was then
diluted with distilled water at 105 C for 1 h. The slurry was ltered at 80 C to keep caustic soda and
trisodium phosphate in solution
90% RE oxide was obtained by NaOH hot digestion using NaOH/TREO mole ratio of 15 at 140 C and
2 h time. REO obtained was further dissolved in HCl
caustic soda solution. Ney et al. reported that the Brazilian industry
processes monazite at high temperature ranging from 140 to
200 C for effective decomposition using the sequence of
operations of: magnetic eld separation, milling, alkaline treatment, trisodic phosphate ltration and Th U cake ltration. The
alkali decomposition of monazite with hot concentrated 5075%
NaOH was carried out at 150 C in an autoclave (Habashi, 1997).
Mackey (1986)
Gupta and
Krishnamurthy
(2005)
Abdel-Rehim (2002)
Habashi (1997)
Panda et al. (2014)
keeping pulp density 100 g/L is also reported where the kinetics
of phosphate leaching tted well with model chemical reaction
control i.e. 1 (1 X)1/2 = kct with activation energy of
25.44 kJ/mole (Panda et al., 2014). Ali et al. in 2007 recovered Th
from Egyptian monazite sand after alkaline dissolution followed
by leaching with alkaline carbonate solution. The studies were
made by different authors to improve the processes from various
complex ores/concentrates. An economic method was recommended for separation and purication of thorium and uranium
from the hydrous oxide cake concentrate obtained from Egyptian
monazite sands by alkali treatment of the mineral (Lauria and
Rochedo, 2005). The study for the extraction of lanthanum oxide
111
Yield of
REE (%)
Remarks
Status
Process conditions determine whether light rare earths are only leached or along with light rare
earths, heavy rare earth elements as well as thorium are also leached. This process yields no
pure product
Cerium cannot be leached if manganese is present. Thorium is leached together with rare earth
elements. Sodium tri-phosphate (Na3SO4) is a marketable byproduct
Outdated
Fine grinding is not required. Thorium remains in the residue as ThO2. No problem of
manganese is observed
In use
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
(i)
98
89
In use
112
Monazite
CHEMICAL DIGESTION
Ce-REMOVAL
Rare Earth Cake
1 HCl: 1HNO3
LEACHING
Leach Liquor
D2EHPA
Aqueous Raffinate
(Major Rare Earths)
EXTRACTION
pH 1.0
Organic
Major (Middle+Heavy) REEs + Minor LREEs
STRIPPING
Solution pH 0.8
Strip Solution
Major Middle REE + Minor LREEs
PRECIPITATION &
REDISSOLUTION
D2EHPA
RE-EXTRACTION
pH 1.0
RE-STRIPPING
pH 0.7
Aqueous
Sm-Gd-Eu Concentrate [98% purity, 78% Recovery]
Fig. 7. Flow-sheet illustrating the successive extraction and stripping stages to separate middle rare earth concentrate.
113
Acknowledgements
This paper is based on the joint collaborative research work
carried out between CSIR-National Metallurgical Laboratory
(CSIR-NML), Jamshedpur, India and Korea Institute of
Geosciences & Mineral Resources (KIGAM), South Korea. Authors
are thankful to the Korea Institute of Geosciences & Mineral
Resources (KIGAM), South Korea for the nancial support. We
would also like to acknowledge the nancial support provided
under the R & D Convergence Program of MSIP (Ministry of
Science, ICT and Future Planning) and NST (National Research
Council of Science and Technology) of Republic of Korea (Grant
B551179-11-01-00).
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