Separation of Rare Earth and Aluminum by Selective Complexation

The presence of aluminum in the weathering crust leaching rare earth ore harms subsequent extraction and separation earths. High-quality production processes must reduce content their feed liquid. Groups containing lone pairs electrons can form stable insoluble complexes with metal ions under certain conditions. In this paper, 3-hydroxyphenylphosphoryl propionic acid is used to selectively separate earths by complexation results show that: using as complexing agent, when amount 3-hydroxyphenyl phosphoryl six times theoretical complete reaction amount, time 10 min, temperature 50 °C, solution adjusted pH 1, rate RE3+ 90.48%, Al3+ nearly 9.52%. well realized. has good water solubility low cost, product after solid easy separate. It potential an alternative agent industry.