Separation and recovery method of rare earth elements and iron

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method in which a slag phase having low melt temperature and including rare earth, and an alloy phase including iron are separated easily, and the rare earth and iron can be separated and collected efficiently.SOLUTION: The raw material including rare earth and iron is added to a mixture of an Fe-rich Fe-Si alloy and alkali metal oxide-silica-base slag, and heated and melted to 1250°C-1550°C under an inert atmosphere or reduction atmosphere, for transiting the rare earth to the slag, and transiting the iron to the Fe-rich Fe-Si melt alloy, for separation.