PROCESS FOR SEPARATING RARE EARTHS AND YTTRIUM BY ION EXCHANGE

Patent · Tue Sep 18 04:00:00 EDT 1962

OSTI ID:4784581

Krumholz, P; Lobo, R M.E.; Bril, K J

A process for separating rare earths and yttrium by ion exchange is given which uses a second ion exchange bed ln the zinc or cadmium state rather than the copper state. The process comprises adsorbing the rare earth mixture on an lon exchange bed and eluting the bed with ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid through a second resin bed ln the zinc or cadmium form. The resin for both beds preferably is a sulfonated polystyrene--divinylbenzene copolymer of low crosslinkage (around 4%). Alternatively, a mixture of rare earths and a small amount of zinc or cadmium may be charged on one resin bed and then eluted. The advantages of the process are that separations are good for the rare earths eluted together with the zinc or cadmium as well as these eluted afterwards, and that the zinc or cadmium complexes are easily decomposed by acidification to recover the eluant. (D.L.C.)

• Research Organization: Originating Research Org. not identified
• NSA Number: NSA-16-030509
• Assignee: DTIE; NSA-16-030509
• Patent Number(s): US 3054655
• OSTI ID: 4784581
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACIDITY
ADSORPTION
BENZENE
CADMIUM COMPLEXES
CADMIUM COMPOUNDS
CHEMISTRY
DECOMPOSITION
EDTA
ION EXCHANGE
LEACHING
POLYMERS
POLYSTYRENE
RARE EARTHS
RESINS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SULFONIC ACIDS
VINYL RADICALS
YTTRIUM
ZINC COMPLEXES
ZINC COMPOUNDS