Study of cerium and neodymium leaching from Kazakhstan phosphogypsum

Abstract

The processes of extraction of cerium and neodymium from Kazakhstan phosphogypsum, a large-tonnage waste of mineral fertilizer production of "Kazphosphate" LLP, have been studied. The influence of the nature of the leaching agent, temperature and duration of the process on the efficiency of cerium, neodymium leaching using the methods of X-ray fluorescence, X-ray phase and energy dispersive elemental analysis was studied. It has been found that the use of hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizer in the leaching of rare earth metals intensifies the process of recovery from phosphogypsum by 20% for cerium and by 28% for neodymium. Optimal parameters of cerium and neodymium leaching under atmospheric and autoclave conditions have been found. In atmospheric conditions, recovery of cerium and neodymium were 70.3% and 92.0%, in autoclave conditions 72.9% and 87.5%, respectively. The obtained results allow us to hope for the processing possibility of these wastes with the aim of rare-earth metals and other valuable products recovery.