Extraction and separation of yttrium from the rare earths with sec-octylphenoxy acetic acid in chloride media

Extraction and separation of yttrium from the rare earths in chloride medium using sec-octylphenoxy acetic acid (CA-12), tri-n-butyl phosphate (TBP) as modifier, in kerosene has been investigated. The separation coefficients, β, were obtained and the extraction selectivity has been enhanced when compared with that of naphthenic acid. The experimental results indicated that CA-12–TBP system could be employed to separate yttrium from rare earths. Fractional extraction (15 stages for extraction and 10 stages for scrubbing) was studied, the raffinate of the first stage was abundant in purity yttrium of 99.5%, with a yield of >95%, percentage of yttrium in the mixture rare earths was less than 5% in the loaded organic phase of the 25th stage and loaded capability was about 0.2 mol/L.