An experimental study of the solubility and speciation of niobium in fluoride-bearing aqueous solutions at elevated temperature

The solubility of Nb2O5 and the speciation of niobium in HF-bearing aqueous solutions have been determined at temperatures of 150, 200, and 250 °C and saturated water pressure. At a pH of ∼2 and at low HF concentration, niobium is transported primarily as the species Nb(OH)4+ and at high HF concentration, as the species NbF2(OH)3°. Equilibrium constants for the formation of Nb(OH)4+ range from −11.23 ± 0.26 to −10.86 ± 0.24 and for the formation of NbF2(OH)3° from −3.84 ± 0.20 to −5.08 ± 0.42, at 150 and 250 °C.The results of this study show that the solubility of Nb2O5 (solid) in aqueous fluids increases with increasing HF concentration, but is not strongly affected by temperature. The influence of pH is variable; at low pH and HF concentration, a decrease in pH increases the solubility of Nb2O5 (solid). At higher pH, the reverse may be true. Modeling of the transport and deposition of niobium suggests that simple mixing with a brine is not an effective method for removing niobium from solution. By contrast, interaction of an acidic fluid with carbonate rock results in a rapid reduction in the capacity of the fluid to mobilize niobium.