Abstract
A novel procedure for processing the xenotime mineral concentrate of southwestern Sinai (55.4% RE2O3 and 0.9% U3O8) has been studied. This procedure is based on leaching of uranium and rare earths from the xenotime concentrate using ferric sulfate solution by hydrolytic leaching with ferric ion, wherein ferric iron is precipitated to generate acid for the leaching step. The obtained slurry is washed by water and sulfuric acid. The relevant conditions of the ferric ion leaching of the concentrate and the washing step have been optimized. From the obtained sulfate liquor, rare earths are directly precipitated as oxalates. Uranium is extracted from the REE-free sulfate solution using ion exchange resin Amberlite IRA-400. Highly pure oxide products of the two interesting metal values, REEs and U, have properly been prepared.
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