Extraction of Ta and Nb from a Coltan Bearing Ore by Means of Ammonium Bifluoride Fluorination and Sulfuric Acid Leaching

A novel approach for Ta and Nb extraction consisting of the pre-treatment of a coltan-bearing ore with an ammonium bifluoride sub-molten salt and subsequent acid leaching has been studied. The effects from ore granulometry, ammonium bifluoride (ABF) to ore mass ratio, temperature and duration of fluorination on the degree of Ta and Nb extraction were examined. The ABF to ore ratio and process temperature were found to have the most pronounced impact on extraction efficiency. The following optimal process conditions were determined: ore granulometric fraction (−75 + 45 µm), ABF-ore (5/1), fluorination temperature (200 °C) and fluorination time (2.5 h). Maintaining these parameters enabled about 94% of Ta and 95% of Nb to be brought into solution during the sulfuric-acid-leaching stage. A comparison of the proposed method with previously reported studies suggests that due to the effects of mechanical agitation and the recirculation of the HF-containing gaseous phase back into the process, the dosage rate of ABF at the fluorination stage could be reduced significantly without sacrificing the overall recovery of Ta and Nb. In such a way, the approach could offer added environmental benefits since release of fluoride-containing effluents into the environment could be limited.

Composite zircon ceramics based on raw materials activated by ammonium bifluoride

The results of studies of the synthesis processes of baddeleyite-zircon ceramics based on fluorinated plasmadissociated and natural zircon are presented. It was found that to obtain densely sintered ceramics based on fluorinated natural zircon, the introduction of CaO is required to stabilize free ZrO2 in the composition of the ceramics. The introduction of Y2O3 into the composition of ceramics based on plasma-dissociated zircon makes it possible to reduce the sintering temperature from 1600 to 1500 °C. It is difficult to obtain ceramics based on plasmadissociated zircon with a high degree of fluorination due to the formation of an excessive amount of ZrF4.

Study on the fluorination of dysprosium oxide by ammonium bifluoride for the preparation of dysprosium fluoride

In this report, dysprosium fluoride (DyF3) - a material for the preparation of dysprosium (Dy) metal was prepared by the fluorination of dysprosium oxide (Dy2O3) by ammonium bifluoride (NH4HF2) reagent. The effect of reaction time and temperature on the formation of dysprosium fluoride salt has been studied. The phase composition and crystal structure of the obtained products were analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Thermal analysis techniques were applied to determine the temperature range of the fluorination. Scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) was used for external morphology observation and chemical elemental composition analysis. The results showed that the high purity phase of DyF3 was formed at the conditions: reaction time and temperature of >1 h and >350oC, respectively. The product is available for the preparation of Dy metal by metallothermic reduction.