Recycling of rare earth metals from rare earth-transition metal alloy scrap by liquid metal extraction

Patent · Tue Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995

OSTI ID:870007

Ellis, Timothy W ^[1]; Schmidt, Frederick A ^[1]

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1. Ames, IA

Method of treating rare earth metal-bearing scrap, waste or other material (e.g. Nd--Fe--B or Dy--Tb--Fe scrap) to recover the rare earth metal comprising melting the rare earth metal-bearing material, melting a Group IIA metal extractant, such as Mg, Ca, or Ba, in which the rare earth is soluble in the molten state, and contacting the melted material and melted extractant at a temperature and for a time effective to extract the rare earth from the melted material into the melted extractant. The rare earth metal is separated from the extractant metal by vacuum sublimation or distillation.

• Research Organization: Ames Laboratory (AMES), Ames, IA; Iowa State University, Ames, IA (US)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-82
• Assignee: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc. (Ames, IA)
• Patent Number(s): US 5437709
• Application Number: 08/280,440
• OSTI ID: 870007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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