METHOD FOR RECOVERING TERBIUM

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for recovering terbium of high purity. SOLUTION: A terbium-containing material (terbium target scrap for magneto- optical disk, for example) is dissolved in hydrochloric acid and electrolysis is executed by using an obtained soln. as an electrolytic soln. in a closed vessel while blowing an inert gas therein to reduce dissolved oxygen and dissolved chlorine in the soln. respectively to <=10 ppm. After removing impurities, an electrolytic filtrate is treated by charging HF to obtain terbium fluoride. Otherwise, the electrolytic filtrate is treated by charging oxalic acid to obtain terbium oxalate and terbium oxalate is calcined to obtain terbium oxide. Then terbium fluoride or terbium oxide is subjected to reduction.