Union Oil Company of California

William E Doyle

George L Tilley

Lanthanide components are recovered from a fluorine-containing material by a method which comprises mixing the material with silica and sulfuric acid, heating the mixture to induce a reaction and volatilize fluorine compounds, and dissolving lanthanides from the reacted mixture with an aqueous medium. The silica is an acid-insoluble form, such as sand or diatomaceous earth. Heating should be to temperatures at least about 150.degree. C. The method is particularly useful for recovering cerium from roasted, acid-leached bastnasite flotation concentrates.

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York, PA, United States of America

William E Doyle