METHOD OF PROCESSING PHOSPHOGYPSUM WITH EXTRACTION OF RARE-EARTH ELEMENTS AND PHOSPHORUS Russian patent published in 2012 - IPC C22B59/00 C22B3/18 C22B7/00 

FIELD: metallurgy.

SUBSTANCE: method involves leaching rare-earth elements and phosphorus from phosphogypsum. Leaching is carried out using a bacterial complex consisting of several types of acidophilic thionic bacteria in the active growth phase, adapted for active transfer into the liquid phase of phosphorus and rare-earth elements. Leaching is carried out in tank conditions with bacterial population of 10⁷ cells/ml, solid-to-liquid ratio 1:5-1:9, active or moderate aeration and temperature 15-45°C for 3-30 days.

EFFECT: high efficiency of the process of recycling phosphogypsum using a cheap and an ecologically safe method.

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