Separation and purification of tantalum from plumbomicrolite of amazonite deposit in Kola Peninsula by acid leaching and solvent extraction

Abstract

A plumbomicrolite concentrate (PMC) was leached with the mixture of HF and H₂SO₄, HF and HNO₃ acids, respectively. Optimal conditions ensuring high recovery of tantalum and niobium (up to 99%) into solution, and radionuclides into insoluble residue were determined. Fluoride-sulfuric acid and fluoride-nitric acid schemes were proposed for PMC leaching by an extractive separation of tantalum form niobium, lead and impurities, and production of high-purity tantalum compounds. Octanol-1 was used as an extractant. Optimal conditions for production of high-purity tantalum strip solutions were defined for all stages (extraction-scrubbing-stripping). Produced tantalum compounds, such as tantalum pentoxide and potassium heptafluotanthalate, comply with the norms for high-purity substances in terms of impurities content. Final choice of the PMC processing scheme is determined by its profitability.

Keywords

mineral plumbomicrolite / tantalum / niobium / acid leaching / radioactivity / solvent extraction

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