Recycling of rare earth metals from rare earth-transition metal alloy scrap by liquid metal extraction

摘要

Method of treating rare earth metal-bearing scrap, waste or other material (e.g. Nd-Fe-B or Dy-Tb-Fe scrap) to recover the rare earth metal comprising melting the rare earth metal-bearing material, melting a Group IIA metal extractant, such as Mg, Ca, or Ba, in which the rare earth is soluble in the molten state, and contacting the melted material and melted extractant at a temperature and for a time effective to extract the rare earth from the melted material into the melted extractant. The rare earth metal is separated from the extractant metal by vacuum sublimation or distillation.