THE TECHNOLOGY OF EXTRACTION AND ENRICHMENT OF SCANDIUM FROM URANIUM-PHOSPHORUS-RARE EARTH CONCENTRATE

Abstract

The paper presents the results of pilot tests of scandium extraction technology from uranium-rare-earth phosphorite to obtain high-purity scandium oxide Sc2O3. It is shown that scandium in phosphorites is accompanied by thorium and rare earth elements (REE), which requires the development of a technology for the complex processing of raw materials. Scandium with a purity of 99.0% was obtained from a concentrate of various degrees of enrichment and shavings of scandium alloys by dissolving them in sulfuric acid, extraction, and selective precipitation with oxalic acid. In the process of testing, scandium oxides were obtained with a purity of 99.0; 99.9, and 99.99%, suitable, for example, for the production of alloys based on magnesium for medical purposes.