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Thermodynamics of the Selective Separation of La(III) and Y(III) from Nitrate Medium by D2EHPA in the Presence of Al(III) and Ca(II) Impurities

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Abstract

This study probed the selective separation of lanthanum and yttrium in a nitrate medium in the presence of aluminum and calcium impurities using di-(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA). The factors studied in a central composite design (CCD) included extractant concentration, pH, concentration ratio of total impurities to rare earth elements, and interaction of these three factors. The extraction mechanism and types of extracted metal-containing species were delineated by the slope analysis method. The obtained thermodynamic data showed that lanthanum and yttrium extraction by the D2EHPA extractant was exothermic. The extraction of both rare earth elements was accompanied by an entropy reduction. The negative magnitude of ΔS in yttrium extraction reaction suggests stronger D2EHPA-Y(III) complexation relative to La(III). As entropy decreased and enthalpy increased, the extraction process became unspontaneous. Using the proposed flowsheet, lanthanum and yttrium products with > 90% purity were obtained.

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Notes

  1. Fluid catalytic cracking.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mining Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Jalal-AleAhmad Highway, Nasr Tunnel, P.O. Box: 14115-111, Tehran, Iran

    Shahab Alizadeh, Mahmoud Abdollahy, Ahmad Khodadadi Darban & Mehdi Mohseni

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  1. Shahab Alizadeh
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  2. Mahmoud Abdollahy
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  4. Mehdi Mohseni
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Contributions

Shahab Alizadeh: Writing—original draft, designed the analysis, performed the experiments, performed the analysis, methodology, validation, software. Mahmoud Abdollahy: Writing—review and editing, designed the analysis, performed the experiments, methodology, investigation. Ahmad Khodadadi Darban: Writing—review and editing, methodology, investigation. Mehdi Mohseni: Writing—review and editing, investigation, interpreting the results, and worked on the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Mahmoud Abdollahy.

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Alizadeh, S., Abdollahy, M., Darban, A.K. et al. Thermodynamics of the Selective Separation of La(III) and Y(III) from Nitrate Medium by D2EHPA in the Presence of Al(III) and Ca(II) Impurities. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 38, 2255–2270 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-021-00469-w

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