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Leachability of Lanthanides from their Bearing Rocks at Abu Furad Area, Central Eastern Desert, Egypt

Kandil AT, El-Nagar WE, Kamal HM2, Younes AA and Mossa HH

Leachability of lanthanides from the radioactive pegmatite pockets found in Gabal Abu Furad area, southwest Safaga city, limited by latitudes 26°37′ and 26°43′ and longitudes 33°36′ and 33°43′ E. Central Eastern Desert, Egypt. It was investigated using different acids at different concentrations, liquid-to-solid ratios, contact times and temperatures in order to determine the optimum recovery conditions. The best leaching efficiency was obtained with 40 g/l HCl solution, 8 hours contact time, 90°C temperature and 1:5 (g/ml) solid:liquid ratio. Afterwards, lanthanide stock solutions were prepared by applying the optimum leaching conditions. Lanthanides were then precipitated by either 10% oxalic acid or 20% sodium hydroxide solutions. Electron scanning microscope (ESM) analysis was utilized to determine the qualitative percentage of the existed lanthanides. It was found that thorium percentage was around 10.05%. High percentages of light lanthanides were detected, e.g., La (11.16%), cerium (39.97%), Pr (6.21%), Nd (13.99%), Sm (2.00%), and Gd (1.06%).