A method for forming a metal oxide includes a step of adding citrate acid to a salt-containing solution to produce a precursor solution. Characteristically, the salt-containing solution includes a neodymium salt or an americium salt. A chilled solution of hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) and urea is added to a chilled precursor solution to form a citrate gel. Advantageously, citrate gel can be produced with an R-value of 0.5 to 3, wherein the R-value is a molar ratio of HMTA to Nd. The citrate gel is then heated to form the metal oxide of neodymium or americium.

A method for forming a metal oxide includes a step of adding citrate acid to a salt-containing solution to produce a precursor solution. Characteristically, the salt-containing solution includes a neodymium salt or an americium salt. A chilled solution of hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) and urea is added to a chilled precursor solution to form a citrate gel. Advantageously, citrate gel can be produced with an R-value of 0.5 to 3, wherein the R-value is a molar ratio of HMTA to Nd. The citrate gel is then heated to form the metal oxide of neodymium or americium.

A method for recovering rare earth elements (REE) from a leach solution. The method includes determining the concentration of a first plurality of contaminates in the leach solution, adding a first amount of oxalic acid to the leach solution and allowing it to react for a first period of time to form a first precipitant and a first liquor, maintaining the pH of the first liquor between 1.5 and 3 by the addition of an alkali base, removing the first precipitant, adding a second amount of oxalic acid to the first liquor and allowing it to react for a second period of time to form a second precipitant and a second liquor, maintaining the pH of the second liquor between 1.5 and 3 by the addition of the alkali base, and removing the second precipitant.

A method for recovering rare earth elements (REE) from a leach solution. The method includes determining the concentration of a first plurality of contaminates in the leach solution, adding a first amount of oxalic acid to the leach solution and allowing it to react for a first period of time to form a first precipitant and a first liquor, maintaining the pH of the first liquor between 1.5 and 3 by the addition of an alkali base, removing the first precipitant, adding a second amount of oxalic acid to the first liquor and allowing it to react for a second period of time to form a second precipitant and a second liquor, maintaining the pH of the second liquor between 1.5 and 3 by the addition of the alkali base, and removing the second precipitant.

A method for extracting a rare earth from a rare earth sample using magnetic-based concentration and separation of an ore containing a selected rare earth from a lanthanide series of elements. The method steps include selecting and grinding a rare earth sample into particle size from the lanthanide series of elements, treating the rare earth sample to variable weak electromagnets, treating the rare earth sample to a variable strong electromagnets and separating non-magnetic minerals. Then heating the rare earth sample in a thermal decomposition oven and then treating the rare earth sample to second variable strong electromagnets for a magnetic gradient ion exchange fixed bed separation. Finally, creating high grade rare earth oxides for further production of rare earth contained products.

A method for extracting a rare earth from a rare earth sample using magnetic-based concentration and separation of an ore containing a selected rare earth from a lanthanide series of elements. The method steps include selecting and grinding a rare earth sample into particle size from the lanthanide series of elements, treating the rare earth sample to variable weak electromagnets, treating the rare earth sample to a variable strong electromagnets and separating non-magnetic minerals. Then heating the rare earth sample in a thermal decomposition oven and then treating the rare earth sample to second variable strong electromagnets for a magnetic gradient ion exchange fixed bed separation. Finally, creating high grade rare earth oxides for further production of rare earth contained products.

A method for extracting scandium from scandium-containing materials, said method comprising: re-slurring of a cake of a scandium-containing material with a mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, carbonization leaching of the scandium-containing material with the mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate in one stage, filtration of the leached scandium-containing material and the precipitation of a scandium concentrate. The carbonization leaching of the scandium-containing material is carried out with a mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate having a Na2CO3 concentration of 130-350 g/dm.sup.3 and a NaHCO3 concentration of 2-100 g/dm.sup.3 at a pH value in the slurry of 9.5-11.0 and a temperature of 20-90 C. For maintaining the required pH value in the slurry, the slurry is gassed with a CO2-containing gas-air mixture. The scandium concentrate is extracted from the filtrate resulting from the leaching process in one stage by treating said filtrate with an alkaline solution.

A method for extracting scandium from scandium-containing materials, said method comprising: re-slurring of a cake of a scandium-containing material with a mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate, carbonization leaching of the scandium-containing material with the mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate in one stage, filtration of the leached scandium-containing material and the precipitation of a scandium concentrate. The carbonization leaching of the scandium-containing material is carried out with a mixture of sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate having a Na2CO3 concentration of 130-350 g/dm.sup.3 and a NaHCO3 concentration of 2-100 g/dm.sup.3 at a pH value in the slurry of 9.5-11.0 and a temperature of 20-90 C. For maintaining the required pH value in the slurry, the slurry is gassed with a CO2-containing gas-air mixture. The scandium concentrate is extracted from the filtrate resulting from the leaching process in one stage by treating said filtrate with an alkaline solution.

A rare earth metal extracting bacterial consortium can include an acid secreting bacterium, a heavy metal resistant bacterium, an iron-sequestering molecule secreting bacterium, and a rare earth metal sequestering bacterium. In another example, a composition can include a growth medium and a bacterial consortium growing in the growth medium. The growth medium can include water, magnesium sulfate, manganese chloride, cobalt chloride, calcium chloride, ammonium sulfate, soluble starch, and amino acids. The bacterial consortium can include an acid secreting bacterium, a heavy metal resistant bacterium, an iron-sequestering molecule secreting bacterium, and a rare earth metal sequestering bacterium.

A rare earth metal extracting bacterial consortium can include an acid secreting bacterium, a heavy metal resistant bacterium, an iron-sequestering molecule secreting bacterium, and a rare earth metal sequestering bacterium. In another example, a composition can include a growth medium and a bacterial consortium growing in the growth medium. The growth medium can include water, magnesium sulfate, manganese chloride, cobalt chloride, calcium chloride, ammonium sulfate, soluble starch, and amino acids. The bacterial consortium can include an acid secreting bacterium, a heavy metal resistant bacterium, an iron-sequestering molecule secreting bacterium, and a rare earth metal sequestering bacterium.