The invention discloses a method about the integration of the metallurgical purification of metallic gadolinium and the preparation of gadolinium oxide nanoparticles (GONPs) by arc plasma. The method includes the metallurgical purification and the nanoparticle preparation. Firstly, the gadolinium ingot and a tungsten rod respectively act as an anode and a cathode. After the arc furnace is evacuated and then is filled with a working atmosphere, impurities in the gadolinium ingot are removed in the form of volatilization to obtain purified gadolinium by the first arc discharge. Whereafter, the purified gadolinium and the tungsten rod are used as the anode and cathode. After the arc furnace also is evacuated and then also is filled with a working atmosphere, GONPs are obtained from the inner wall of the arc furnace though the second arc discharge. The metallurgical purification of metallic gadolinium and the preparation of GONPs were integrated by arc plasma.

The present invention relates to the recovery of metals from raw ores or concentrates, and more specifically, to the recovery of rare earth elements, or oxides or salts thereof, from ores containing bastnaesite carbonatite, and/or monazite. The ore is processed by a method that may include one or more of the following steps: (i) mechanically processing the ore; (ii) calcination and/or roasting of the ore to form a calcinated material and/or roasting of the ore to form a roasted material; (iii) leaching of the calcinated material or roasted material in an aqueous solution; (iv) solid/liquid separation to remove a solid residue from the aqueous solution to recover a rare earth element solution; and (v) precipitation of the rare earth element solution to isolate a rare earth element, or oxide or salt thereof.

The present invention relates to the recovery of metals from raw ores or concentrates, and more specifically, to the recovery of rare earth elements, or oxides or salts thereof, from ores containing bastnaesite carbonatite, and/or monazite. The ore is processed by a method that may include one or more of the following steps: (i) mechanically processing the ore; (ii) calcination and/or roasting of the ore to form a calcinated material and/or roasting of the ore to form a roasted material; (iii) leaching of the calcinated material or roasted material in an aqueous solution; (iv) solid/liquid separation to remove a solid residue from the aqueous solution to recover a rare earth element solution; and (v) precipitation of the rare earth element solution to isolate a rare earth element, or oxide or salt thereof.

The invention disclosed a method for recycling rare earth elements from waste light-emitting electronic components by pyrolysis and alkaline melting-acid leaching. Based on the pyrolysis properties of the organic polymer, through catalytic pyrolysis of the organic polymer material in electronic components and convert the carbon in the residue into water gas, realize high-efficient dismantling of waste electronic component packaging materials. The traditional problems that the compositions of waste light-emitting electronic components are difficult to disassemble are solved, the generated pyrolysis gas and water gas can continuously supply energy for the pyrolysis system and recover the heat in the flue gas to save energy. Meanwhile, based on the chemical dissolution reaction mechanism of phosphors, the combination process of alkali melting, and acid leaching is used to efficiently recover rare earth elements from the waste light-emitting electronic components, and the step leaching of rare earth elements is realized. The rare earth oxalate can be recovered by precipitation, which greatly reduces the difficulty of late separation and purification.

The invention disclosed a method for recycling rare earth elements from waste light-emitting electronic components by pyrolysis and alkaline melting-acid leaching. Based on the pyrolysis properties of the organic polymer, through catalytic pyrolysis of the organic polymer material in electronic components and convert the carbon in the residue into water gas, realize high-efficient dismantling of waste electronic component packaging materials. The traditional problems that the compositions of waste light-emitting electronic components are difficult to disassemble are solved, the generated pyrolysis gas and water gas can continuously supply energy for the pyrolysis system and recover the heat in the flue gas to save energy. Meanwhile, based on the chemical dissolution reaction mechanism of phosphors, the combination process of alkali melting, and acid leaching is used to efficiently recover rare earth elements from the waste light-emitting electronic components, and the step leaching of rare earth elements is realized. The rare earth oxalate can be recovered by precipitation, which greatly reduces the difficulty of late separation and purification.

A method for separating substantially pure rare earth metals and other metals from a mixed source, including putting a plurality of rare earth metals and other metals into solution to define a solution containing a plurality of respective metal ions, in at least one chromatographic column, selectively capturing ions of each respective metal with a respective ligand to define a plurality of respective discrete bands, and respectively eluting captured ions of respective metal from each respective band of the at least one chromatographic column to yield a plurality of purified solutions, each respective purified solution having a high concentration of a respective metal. The bands may either be stationary with respect to the columns, or may move through the columns.

A method for separating substantially pure rare earth metals and other metals from a mixed source, including putting a plurality of rare earth metals and other metals into solution to define a solution containing a plurality of respective metal ions, in at least one chromatographic column, selectively capturing ions of each respective metal with a respective ligand to define a plurality of respective discrete bands, and respectively eluting captured ions of respective metal from each respective band of the at least one chromatographic column to yield a plurality of purified solutions, each respective purified solution having a high concentration of a respective metal. The bands may either be stationary with respect to the columns, or may move through the columns.

Methods and systems for the extraction of metals from an aqueous feed solution containing the metal ions. The aqueous feed solution is contacted with one side of a hydrophilic membrane support while an organic liquid is contacted with an opposite side of the hydrophilic membrane support. Metal ions migrate from the aqueous feed solution through the membrane support and into the organic liquid. The metal ions may be re-extracted from the organic liquid using a strip solution. The steps of extraction and reextraction may be carried out in a system including two hollow fiber membrane modules that each include a plurality of hydrophilic polymer hollow fibers.

Processing schemes for the extraction and/or separation of rare earth elements (REEs) from rare earth containing products such as rare earth mineral ore bodies and intermediate products derived from rare earth mineral ore bodies. The processing schemes may be applied independently or in various combinations to produce end-products that have a very high purity with respect to REEs, including high value critical REEs. The processes may include acid digestion, formation of rare earth oxalate compounds, metathesizing of rare earth oxalate compounds, selective precipitation and/or solvent extraction to form the high purity REE end products.

Processing schemes for the extraction and/or separation of rare earth elements (REEs) from rare earth containing products such as rare earth mineral ore bodies and intermediate products derived from rare earth mineral ore bodies. The processing schemes may be applied independently or in various combinations to produce end-products that have a very high purity with respect to REEs, including high value critical REEs. The processes may include acid digestion, formation of rare earth oxalate compounds, metathesizing of rare earth oxalate compounds, selective precipitation and/or solvent extraction to form the high purity REE end products.