PURPOSE: To recover rare earth elements and Ga, in high efficiency, by dissolving a mixture of a rear earth element oxide and Ga2O3 in an aqueous solution of a strong mineral acid, and selectively adsorbing and separating Ga from the solution using a specific chelate resin.
CONSTITUTION: A mixture of a rare earth element oxide and Ga2O3 is dissolved in 30W80% aqueous solution of sulfuric acid or 20W35% aqueous solution of hydrochloric acid, and the obtained solution is made to contact with a chelate resin at 10W50°C to effect the selective adsorption and separation of Ga, and recover the rare earth element and Ga. The chelate resin is a resin having (A) =NOH group and (B) a functional group capable of forming a chelate bond with the (A) group via Ga, or having a metallic salt of said functional group, e.g. a resin having amidoxime group and obtained by the reaction of a polymer of a vinyl cyanide monomer such as acrylonitrile with hydroxylamine.
YOSHITAKE HIROSHI
YOKOYAMA HIROYUKI
HATA MASANAO
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