Combined approaches for comprehensive processing of rare earth metal ores

Technologies for processing rare earth ores (Chuktukon deposits, East Siberia, Russia) have been developed. The ores are composed of iron-manganese oxides and contain 3–7% of rare-earth oxides in the phosphate form (turnerite, florencite) and 0.5–1% of niobium oxide (chalcolamprite). These ores are refractory and do not lend themselves to concentration, therefore various processes for their direct chemical processing have been considered. A number of investigations to estimate the technological behavior of the Tomtor and Chuktukon ores, and to develop various processes for their treatment, have been carried out. Two approaches for processing the Chuktukon ores have been suggested. The first one comprises extraction of the rare earth metals and production of a niobium concentrate; the second one provides a method for processing the complex ores resulting in the production of rare earth metals, iron and manganese alloys.