Information: Yttrium
Known Methods of Extraction
Perfect 👍 — next in **periodic table order** is **Yttrium (Y, atomic number 39).** Yttrium is a **transition metal / rare earth element** that does **not occur free** in nature. It is primarily obtained from **rare earth minerals** such as **xenotime, monazite, and bastnäsite**. Extraction involves **acid or alkaline digestion, solvent extraction, and reduction**. Here are the **20 most common methods of extracting Yttrium**: --- # **20 Most Common Methods of Extracting Yttrium** ### **A. Extraction from Rare Earth Minerals** 1. **Acid Digestion of Monazite (H₂SO₄ or HCl)** – Converts Y and REEs to soluble salts. 2. **Alkaline Digestion of Bastnäsite / Xenotime (NaOH Fusion)** – Produces soluble yttrium compounds. 3. **Leaching with Nitric Acid (HNO₃)** – Extracts Y³⁺ from mineral residues. 4. **Separation of Y from Thorium / Uranium by Solvent Extraction** – Removes radioactive impurities. 5. **Precipitation as Yttrium Hydroxide (Y(OH)₃)** – Intermediate step before reduction. 6. **Calcination of Y(OH)₃ → Y₂O₃** – Produces yttrium oxide. --- ### **B. Hydrometallurgical / Solvent Extraction Methods** 7. **Ion Exchange Separation of Y³⁺ from Lanthanides** – Purification method. 8. **Solvent Extraction using Organophosphorus Extractants** – Separates yttrium from other REEs. 9. **Precipitation of Y as Yttrium Oxalate (Y₂(C₂O₄)₃)** – Intermediate purification step. 10. **Conversion of Y Oxalate → Y₂O₃ by Calcination** – Prepares for metal reduction. 11. **Recovery from Rare Earth Processing Residues** – Leaching and purification of yttrium traces. 12. **Selective Precipitation with Sodium Carbonate or Hydroxide** – Separates Y from other REEs. --- ### **C. Reduction to Metallic Yttrium** 13. **Calciothermic Reduction of Y₂O₃ → Y + CaO** – Common industrial method. 14. **Aluminothermic Reduction of Y₂O₃ → Y + Al₂O₃** – Laboratory or small-scale method. 15. **Electrolytic Reduction of Yttrium Chloride (YCl₃)** – Produces metallic yttrium. 16. **Magnesiothermic Reduction of Y₂O₃** – Laboratory-scale method. --- ### **D. Specialized / Recycling Methods** 17. **Recovery from Phosphor Materials (LEDs, CRTs)** – Acid leaching + solvent extraction. 18. **Recovery from Y-Containing Superalloy Scraps** – Hydrometallurgical recovery. 19. **Plasma Reduction of Y₂O₃ or Y Chlorides** – Experimental high-purity method. 20. **Solar-Thermal Reduction of Yttrium Oxide or Halides** – Experimental renewable energy method. --- ✅ **Summary:** * **Main industrial sources:** Monazite, xenotime, bastnäsite, and other REE minerals. * **Primary extraction steps:** Mineral → acid/alkali digestion → solvent extraction/ion exchange → precipitation → calcination → reduction to metallic yttrium. * **Metallic yttrium:** Produced via calciothermic, aluminothermic, electrolytic, or magnesiothermic reduction. * **Recycling sources:** LEDs, phosphors, superalloy scraps. * **Laboratory/experimental:** Plasma and solar-thermal reductions. --- Next in periodic order is \*\*Zirconium (Zr, atomic number 40). Do you want me to continue with **20 extraction methods for Zirconium**?