Organic neodymium concentration

The calculated free equilibrium HDEHP dimer concentration using Equation 12 is illustrated in Table VI. The relationship of the equilibrated HDEHP dimer molar concentration with the total neodymium concentration and the total nitrate concentration in the organic phase is shown in Figures 5 and 6, respectively. 

Figure 4. Nitrate-to-neodymium concentration ratio in the organic phase as a function of the initial Nd(NOs)s concentration...

The solvent extraction of rare-earth nitrates into solutions of TBP has been used commercially for the production of high-purity oxides of yttrium, lanthanum, praseodymium and neodymium from various mineral concentrates,39 as well as for the recovery of mixed rare-earth oxides as a byproduct in the manufacture of phosphoric acid from apatite ores.272 273 In both instances, extraction is carried out from concentrated nitrate solutions, and the loaded organic phases are stripped with water. The rare-earth metals are precipitated from the strip liquors in the form of hydroxides or oxalates, both of which can be calcined to the oxides. Since the distribution coefficients (D) for adjacent rare earths are closely similar, mixer—settler assemblies with 50 or more stages operated under conditions of total reflux are necessary to yield products of adequate purity.39... 

The liquid-liquid extraction feed solutions were prepared by dilution of the neodymium nitrate stock solution with distilled water and nitric acid. These then were contacted with equal volumes of 1M HDEHP in separatory funnels, agitated for. 5 hr by a mechanical shaker, allowed to separate for. 5 hr, shaken another. 5 hr, then allowed to settle for 12 hr before the phases were separated carefully. A volumetric sample of the organic phase was back-extracted four times with an equal volume of 6M HN03. This solution was evaporated to dryness in order to remove the excess acid and then diluted to an appropriate concentration. The pH of this solution was adjusted to 3.0 to eliminate any hydrolysis effects... 

TOTAL NEODYMIUM MOLAR CONCENTRATION IN THE ORGANIC PHASE... 

The nitrate ion activities in the aqueous phase were measured with a nitrate ion selective electrode taking into account the presence of high hydrogen ion concentration by calibration of the nitrate electrode with nitric acid. The nitrate ion concentration in the organic phase owing to the extraction of neodymium complexes by HDEHP was determined by back-extraction of the organic phase with 3M sulfuric acid, dilution, and analysis with a nitrate ion electrode calibrated for different nitrate and sulfate concentrations. The amount of the nitrate species extracted into the organic phase increases as the initial neodymium nitrate concentration increases. 

The neodymium ion concentration in the organic phase was measured by back-extraction with 6M nitric acid, removal of the neodymium by adsorption with the cation exchange resin, Dowex 50 x 8, and titration of the neodymium-free aqueous phase with NaOH using phenolphtalein... 

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