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Electrowinning of Neodymium from a Molten Oxide-Fluoride Electrolyte.

PB94178126

Publication Date	1994
Personal Author	Dysinger, D. K.; Murphy, J. E.
Page Count	14
Abstract	Neodymium metal of 99.8 percent purity was prepared by electrolysis of Nd2O3 salts dissolved in a molten fluoride electrolyte. The metal was electrowon in a molten state at current efficiencies of 50 to 60 percent. Oxygen and carbon were the major impurities detected in the product. During operation of the small scale laboratory cell, a number of technical problems including anode effect, low oxide solubility in the electrolyte, high neodymium metal solubility, reactivity of the metal with the cell materials, and back reaction of the metal with the anode gases were encountered. Approaches to improve cell operation and prospects for commercial adoption of the electrolytic production of neodymium metal are discussed.
Keywords	Electrometallurgy Neodymium Electrolytes Fluorides Electrolytic cells Electrolysis Commercial development Rare earth metals Electrowinning
Source Agency	Bureau of Mines
NTIS Subject Category	48A - Mineral Industries 99B - Industrial Chemistry & Chemical Process Engineering
Corporate Authors	Bureau of Mines, Reno, NV. Reno Research Center.
Document Type	Technical Report
Title Note	Rept. of investigations/1994.
NTIS Issue Number	199417

Electrowinning of Neodymium from a Molten Oxide-Fluoride Electrolyte.

Electrowinning of Neodymium from a Molten Oxide-Fluoride Electrolyte.
PB94178126

Publication Date	1994
Personal Author	Dysinger, D. K.; Murphy, J. E.
Page Count	14
Abstract	Neodymium metal of 99.8 percent purity was prepared by electrolysis of Nd2O3 salts dissolved in a molten fluoride electrolyte. The metal was electrowon in a molten state at current efficiencies of 50 to 60 percent. Oxygen and carbon were the major impurities detected in the product. During operation of the small scale laboratory cell, a number of technical problems including anode effect, low oxide solubility in the electrolyte, high neodymium metal solubility, reactivity of the metal with the cell materials, and back reaction of the metal with the anode gases were encountered. Approaches to improve cell operation and prospects for commercial adoption of the electrolytic production of neodymium metal are discussed.
Keywords	Electrometallurgy Neodymium Electrolytes Fluorides Electrolytic cells Electrolysis Commercial development Rare earth metals Electrowinning
Source Agency	Bureau of Mines
NTIS Subject Category	48A - Mineral Industries 99B - Industrial Chemistry & Chemical Process Engineering
Corporate Authors	Bureau of Mines, Reno, NV. Reno Research Center.
Document Type	Technical Report
Title Note	Rept. of investigations/1994.
NTIS Issue Number	199417