Method for recovering rare earth element

摘要

The object of the present invention is to provide a method for recovering a rare earth element, which is capable of efficiently recovering a rare earth element with high recovery rate without using any expensive chemicals, solvents or the like. In the present invention, a water-soluble salt other than sulfate ions is allowed to coexist with an aqueous solution that contains a rare earth element, and then an alkali metal sulfate is added to the aqueous solution, thereby producing a precipitate of a double sulfate of the rare earth element.

主权项

1. A method for recovering a rare earth element comprising the steps of:
providing an aqueous solution containing (i) a rare earth element and (ii) a water-soluble salt that is one or more members selected from the group consisting of a chloride, a perchlorate, a chlorate, a bromate, a bromide, a periodate, an iodate, and an iodide, the water-soluble salt being present in the aqueous solution at an anionic ion concentration of 4 to 10 mol/l; and adding an alkali metal sulfate thereto so that a precipitate of a double sulfate of the rare earth element is generated.