Abstract:
The leaching process of ionic rare earth ores is often accompanied by the leaching of impurity aluminium, which will increase the subsequent decontamination process and cost, and cause the loss of rare earths. In order to ensure the efficient leaching of rare earths while reducing the leaching of impurity aluminium ions and provide a solution for the selection of green and efficient leaching agents for ionic rare earth ores. In this paper, the effects of single leachant concentration, liquid−solid ratio and flow rate, and combined agent on the leaching behaviour of rare earths and impurity aluminium were investigated using ammonium and magnesium salts with different anionic systems (SO
42−, Cl
−, NO
3− and CH
3COO
−) as leaching agents. The results show that with the increase of leaching agent concentration, liquid−solid ratio and the decrease of leaching agent flow rate, the leaching efficiency of rare earths gradually increases, the promotion effect of different anions on the leaching of rare earths is as follows: SO
42− > Cl
− > NO
3− > CH
3COO
− and the leaching rate of rare earths from magnesium salts is higher than that of ammonium salts, and the presence of acetate anion in the leachant can significantly reduce the concentration of impurity aluminium in the leaching solution. Under the optimal leaching parameter conditions of magnesium sulfate and magnesium acetate combined agent, a leaching mother liquor with a rare earth leaching efficiency of 97.36%, a rare earth ion concentration of 706.34 mg/L, and an aluminium ion concentration of 17.8 mg/L could be obtained.