An electrochemical process for the separation of cerium from rare earths

An electrochemical route to this oxidative precipitation was studied wherein a rare earth chloride solution is subjected to electrolysis enabling the separation of cerium as ceric hydroxide. A rotating cathode was used to avoid formation of hydroxide scale on the cathode surface. The electrolytic and solution parameters were optimized in laboratory scale and bench scale cells. The process occurred at a current efficiency of 60% with an energy consumption of 3.5 kWh/kg of CeO2. The purity of the product was >95%.