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Precipitation Trends of Scandium in Synthetic Red Mud Solutions with Different Precipitation Agents

  • Thematic Section: Green Rare Earth Elements--Innovations in Ore Processing, Hydrometallurgy, and Electrolysis
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Abstract

This research presents an alternative method for scandium (Sc) recovery from impure bauxite residue solutions containing Fe(III), Al, Ca, Nd, and Y through the use of hydroxide and phosphate precipitation. Among hydroxide donors, ammonia solution removed the most Fe(III) from solution, while co-precipitation of other elements in the synthetic pregnant leach solution remained negligible. When using dibasic phosphate as the precipitant, in the pH range of 1.5–2.5, both Sc and Fe were removed rapidly, while co-precipitation of other ions remained low. Experimental results were used to propose the preliminary design of a three-stage precipitation process capable of producing a scandium product from highly impure process solutions.

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Acknowledgments

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community’s Horizon 2020 Programme ([H2020/2014–2019]) under Grant Agreement No. 636876 (MSCA-ETN REDMUD). This publication reflects only the author’s view, exempting the Community from any liability. Project website: http://www.etn.redmud.org.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. MEAB Chemie Technik GmBH, Dennewartstr. 25, 52068, Aachen, Germany

    Bengi Yagmurlu & Carsten Dittrich

  2. IME Institute of Process Metallurgy and Metal Recycling, RWTH Aachen, Intzestr. 3, 52056, Aachen, Germany

    Bengi Yagmurlu & Bernd Friedrich

Authors
  1. Bengi Yagmurlu
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  2. Carsten Dittrich
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  3. Bernd Friedrich
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Correspondence to Bengi Yagmurlu.

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The contributing editor for this article was Yiannis Pontikes.

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Yagmurlu, B., Dittrich, C. & Friedrich, B. Precipitation Trends of Scandium in Synthetic Red Mud Solutions with Different Precipitation Agents. J. Sustain. Metall. 3, 90–98 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-016-0098-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-016-0098-9

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