Separating molybdenum values from an aqueous solution containing tungsten by solvent extraction

摘要

The process is described wherein molybdenum values are separated from an aqueous solution containing tungsten. The molybdenum is converted to a thiomolybdate ion and the resulting solution is contacted with a suitable amount of organic extractant for a sufficient period of time to preferentially extract the thiomolybdate. The organic extractant including the thiomolybdate is separated from the aqueous solution comprising the unextracted tungsten values. The molybdenum values are stripped from the separated organic extractant by contacting with an aqueous solution containing sufficient amount of an oxidizing agent suitable for oxidizing the thiomolybdate complex ion to the molybdate ion which in turn is soluble in the aqueous solution. The organic extractant is then recycled for extracting the thiomolybdate complex ion and the molybdate ion may be recovered from the aqueous solution by conventional methods.