Co-extraction of Rare Earth and Iron from Baogang Tailings
包钢选矿厂尾矿中稀土与铁共提取

A novel dissolving-extraction process of Baogang tailings in the dilute sulphuric acid and then dilute hydrochloric acid was studied. The effects of reaction temperature and sulfuric acid concentration on dissolution rate of the rare earth and iron were investigated and the total amount of rare earth in the acid dissolution of Baogang tailings was determined by spectrophotometry. The leaching rate of rare earth was less than 8% and the leaching rate of iron higher than 94% in the sulfuric acid dissolution. Fe3+ in sulfuric acid dissolution was reduced to Fe2+ by industrial scrap iron. FeSO4 was extracted by ethanol at room temperature. Its purity was 98.21% and the over-all recovery rate of iron in the tailings 89.51%. The grade of REO in the dilute hydrochloric acid insoluble residue was 43.60% and their total recovery rate 78.82%. This study provides a new method for extraction and separation of rare earth and iron from Baogang tailings.