METHOD OF EXTRACTING COLUMBIUM-TANTALUM VALUES FROM PYROCHLORE ORES

摘要

IMPROVED METHOD OF EXTRACTING COLUMBIUM-TANTALUM VALUES FROM PYROCHLORE ORES A method of extracting high purity columbium oxide, also known as niobium oxide, from barium-rich pyrochlore ores by treating the ore with a calcium salt, such as, calcium chloride, fusing the ore with caustic soda and a fluorine containing compound, and subsequently acid leaching the fused mass; and from calcium-rich pyrochlore ores by fusing the ore with caustic soda and a fluorine containing compound, and subsequently acid leaching the fused mass. The amount of fluorine containing-compound used should contain from above 2% to about 10% fluorine content by weight relative to the ore.