Solvent Extraction of Yttrium from Rare Earths Concentrate Using Cyanex 272 and PC88A

Abstract

The recovery of yttrium using cyanex 272 & PC88A from the rare earths concentrate which produced from the xenotime–bearing ferruginous sandstone, southwestern Sinai has been studied. Cyanex 272 solvent is known as a purified bis(2.4.4-trimethylpentyl) phosphinic acid and PC88A solvent is also known as a purified 2-Ethylhexyl 2-ethylhexy phosphonic acid (HEHEHP). From a solution of rare earths chloride that was prepared, the studied optimum conditions for yttrium extraction included mixture of 1.4 M cyanex 272 & 1.8 M PC88A / 0.25 M isodecanol in kerosene, 1/1 of an O/A ratio, the pH of the prepared liquor 3 and 12 min as the contact time. The optimum conditions of the yttrium stripping are involved 3 M nitric acid in 1/1 of an O/A ratio for 25 min contact time. McCabe-Thiele diagram for the yttrium extraction and stripping are constructed. Highly pure product of yttria (yttrium oxide) has been obtained and analyzed using ICP-MS.