METHOD OF EXTRACTING SCANDIUM FROM SCANDIUM-CONTAINING MATERIAL Russian patent published in 2019 - IPC C22B59/00 C22B3/24 

FIELD: technological processes.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to the technology of extracting scandium from various types of raw material and man-made wastes, and can be used for concentration and extraction of scandium from scandium-bearing ores, intermediate products and other materials, in particular, scandium-containing sludges and cakes formed during processing of niobium- and tantalum-containing ores and concentrates. Extraction of scandium from scandium-containing raw material involves preparation of initial material for sorption leaching in a system "pulp-sorbent" by preparing pulps with sodium hydroxide solution at temperature of 50–80 °C. Phosphorus-containing ion-exchange sorbents are used. Process of sorption leaching is carried out continuously in counterflow mode with control of pH of pulp, which is maintained in range of 9.2–10.4 by means of introduction of compounds containing carbonate of sodium or CO₂ containing gases. Thereafter, the sorbent is washed and separated from the pulp, the sorbent is converted, followed by desorption of scandium with carbonate solutions, washing the sorbent from the desorbing solution using it at a further sorption step. Precipitate is cleaned from impurities and the scandium concentrate is obtained.

EFFECT: method improves process of separation of scandium from other impurity elements, increases degree of its extraction due to optimally selected sorbent and process conditions.

4 cl, 1 dwg, 8 tbl