METHOD FOR EXTRACTING SCANDIUM FROM PYROXENITE RAW MATERIAL Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC C22B59/00 C22B3/18 

FIELD: metallurgy.

SUBSTANCE: method involves opening of raw material and leaching of scandium with further separation of solid and liquid phases. As initial raw material there used is scandium-containing pyroxenite refuse ore with fineness of less than 1 mm. Opening of raw material and leaching of scandium is performed using biocomplex of iron oxidating acidophilic thionic bacteria Acidithiobacillus thiooxidahs, Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, Leptospirillum ferrooxidans extracted and grown from natural strains of microorganisms incidental to the used initial raw material and adapted with cultures from museum collection, with bacteria population of 10⁷ cells/ml at S:L=1:5-1:7, temperature of 15-45°C, initial Eh 650 mV, pH 1.5-2.15, Fe³⁺ concentration of 13-17 g/l, Fe²⁺ - 1.5-3 g/l and at atmospheric pressure. After separation of solid and liquid phases the latter is supplied for obtaining scandium fluoride.

EFFECT: reducing sulphuric acid consumption for opening of raw material and leaching of scandium; reducing the costs for reagents and improving production environmental conditions.

3 cl, 1 ex