Scandium Recovery Methods from Mining, Metallurgical Extractive Industries, and Industrial Wastes

Area of Science:

• Metallurgical Engineering
• Materials Science
• Inorganic Chemistry

Background:

• Scandium (Sc) recovery from diverse resources is crucial.
• Solvent extraction (SX) is a primary method for Sc recovery.
• Separating Sc from rare earth metals presents challenges due to similarities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To detail solvent extraction (SX) methods for scandium (Sc) recovery.
• To present metallurgical procedures for Sc extraction.
• To explore efficient extractants and operational parameters for Sc recovery.

Main Methods:

• Solvent extraction (SX) using acidic and neutral organophosphorus compounds (OPCs).
• Exploration of alternative solvents like carboxylic acids and amines.
• Investigation of synergistic systems and mixed extractants for enhanced efficiency.

Main Results:

• Acidic and neutral OPCs offer high extraction efficiency for valuable components.
• Hydrometallurgical methods (acid leaching and SX) proved effective for Sc recovery.
• Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phosphoric acid (D2EHPA/P204) and tributyl phosphate (TBP) show potential, with consideration for co-extracted Fe(III) and Ti(IV).

Conclusions:

• Solvent extraction, particularly with OPCs, is a viable industrial method for Sc recovery.
• Optimizing operational parameters is essential for efficient Sc extraction.
• Combined hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical techniques are employed for industrial Sc production.