Separation and recovery apparatus of separation and recovery methods and a rare earth element of the rare earth elements

摘要

The purpose of the present invention is to provide: a separation/collection method which can increase the distribution ratio between different rare earth elements for the purpose of achieving the reduction of cost in the separation/collection of a rare earth element; and a separation/collection apparatus which can achieve the method. A method for separating/collecting a rare earth element according to the present invention is a method for separating/collecting a specific rare earth element from an aqueous solution containing ions of multiple rare earth elements, and comprises: an aggregation step of adding a water-soluble polymer having an acidic group to the aqueous solution and then adding a water-soluble polymer having an amino group to the resultant mixture in such a manner that the total number of the amino groups becomes greater than that of the acidic groups of the water-soluble polymer having the acidic group, thereby producing an aggregated product; a separation/collection step of separating and collecting the aggregated product from the aqueous solution; a dissolution step of dissolving the aggregated product in an acid, thereby producing a solution; and a re-aggregation step of adding a water-soluble polymer having an amino group to the solution, thereby producing a re-aggregated product.