METHOD OF SEPARATING RARE EARTHS BY ION EXCHANGE
A process is given for separating yttrium and rare earth values having atomic numbers of from 57 through 60 and 68 through 71 from an aqueous solution whose pH value can range from 1 to 9. All rare earths and yttrium are first adsorbed on a cation exchange resin, and they are then eluted with a solution of N-hydroxyethylethylenediaminetriacetic acid (HEDTA) in the order of decreasing atomic number, yttrium behaving like element 61; the effluents are collected in fractions. The HEDTA is recovered by elution with ammonia solution and the resin is regenerated with sulfuric acid. Rare earths are precipitated from the various effluents with oxalic acid, and each supernatant is passed over cation exchange resin for adsorption of HEDTA and nonprecipitated rare earths: the oxalic acid is not retained by the resin.
- Research Organization:
- Originating Research Org. not identified
- NSA Number:
- NSA-15-007438
- Assignee:
- U.S. Atomic Energy Commission
- Patent Number(s):
- US 2956858
- OSTI ID:
- 4117701
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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