method ytriumin separating the mixture, which contains of yttrium and rare earth metals.

摘要

Solvent extraction system for separating yttrium from mixed rare earth metals. B6A. comprises (a) multistage countercurrent liquid-liquid extraction of the initial solution containing inorganic salts of the metals with a hydrocarbon solution of a branched chain carboxylic acid which is branched on the C atom adjacent the -COOH group the solution also containing yttrium and rare earth metal ions, the solutions being recirculated until a separation is achieved, b) stopping the extraction when the separation is sufficient and emptying one or more stages of the system containing Y ions contaminated with some rare earth metal ions, c) isolating the metal ions and, where necessary, converting to nitrates, d) multistage countercurrent liquid-liquid extraction of the nitrate solution with a solution of the nitrates in tributylphosphate, the solutions being recirculated until a separation is achieved, and e) stopping the extraction when the separation is sufficient and emptying one or more stages of the system containing a solution of suitably pure yttrium. In an alternative method the solvent pairs may be used that form step a) for step d) and that from step d) for step a).