Enhanced characteristics and mechanism of static magnetic field on ion-absorbed rare earth precipitation

•Static magnetic was applied in the precipitation solution system of ion-absorbed rare earth.•The results of magnetic experiments were obvious superior to the conventional.•The electrical conductivity of magnetized leaching agent was increased obviously after 20 min.•The precipitation crystal appears more bulky and uniform compared to that of the conventional.

Separation of ion-absorbed rare earth elements (REE) by oxalate used as a precipitator is the principal extraction process employed in the mining industry. The oxalic acid precipitator plays the key role in the precipitation process. In this paper, the enhanced effect of a static magnetic treatment applied to the precipitation process of REs was investigated. Compared to the non-magnetization, the results of magnetic processes appeared to be better and its optimal precipitation conditions was obtained at pH value of the precipitation solution at 2,RE2O3: H2C2O4 = 2.5:1, a magnetic strength 400 kA m− 1, a 20 min magnetization time in a magnetized oxalate solution. The dosage of oxalate precipitator is less 5% to that employed in conventional processes conditions with non-magnetization while the purity of the rare earth still keeps stable. The electrical conductivity of the oxalate precipitator was increased by magnetization. A possible change in the electron spin of the magnetized precipitator ultimately affected the pace of rare earth precipitation crystallization and growth direction of the rare earth-bearing precipitated crystals.