SEPARATION OF TANTALUM AND NIOBIUM FROM THE TREATED SULFATE LIQUOR USING ISODECANOL

Abstract

A technological sample of polymetallic sedimentary rocks collected from southwestern Sinai (2.61% RE 2 O 3 , 1.14% Ta 2 O 5 and 2.16% Nb 2 O 5) is subjected to processing via sulfuric acid agitation leaching under different conditions. The produced sulfate liquor is chemically treated involving precipitation of REEs as oxalates. The treated sulfate solution was obtained and used for recovery of Nb and Ta using solvent extraction as isodecanol. The relevant factors for the extraction and stripping processes of Nb and Ta have been optimized. Highly pure products of Nb and Ta have properly been prepared and analyzed using ICP-MS. Introduction The application of niobium and tantalum over the past two decades is increasing as a result of their importance in the production of modern industrial materials, high tech consumer products and strategic energy technologies such as super alloys, electronic devices, solar, wind and nuclear equipment, in conjunction with other elements such as tellurium, indium, silver, dysprosium, neodymium and molybdenum (He et al., 1998) (Hayes and Burge, 2003) (Cunningham, 2000) (Moss et al., 2011) (Lowder, 2012) (Pell and Hora, 1990). Nb and Ta are presented from a variety of minerals and concentrates. The major source of these two metals is the columbite-tantalite mineral, also called coltan, (Fe,Mn)(Nb,Ta) 2 O 6 which contains (5-30 % Ta 2 O 5 in columbite and 42-84 % Ta 2 O 5 in tantalite) and (55-78 % Nb 2 O 5 in columbite and 2-40 % Nb 2 O 5 in tantalite). Ta and Nb exist in other minerals (more than 150) as complex oxides and hydroxides with the exception of the borate mineral behierite (Ta,Nb)(BO 4) and the only known non-oxide mineral containing tantalum carbide TaC (Nete et al., 2016).These two metals (Nb & Ta) are presented in the present study for the polymetallic sedimentary rocks of Um Tomyem area, southwestern Sinai.