• Resources Recycling
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• v.14 no.6 s.68
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• pp.3-9
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• 2005

In this study, the separation and recovery of cerium hydroxide was investigated from the wasted cerium polishing powders. Waste cerium polishing powder contains $64.5\;wt\%$ of rare earth oxide and the content of cerium oxide is $36.5\;wt\%$. Since cerium oxide, $56.3\%$ of rare earths, is the most stable state in rare earth, the dissolution of cerium oxide in acid solution is not easy. Therefore the process of rare earth oxide by sulfation and water leaching was examined in order to increase the recovery of rare earth. Rare earth elements were recovered in the form of $\Re{\cdot}Na(SO_{4})_{2}$ by the addition of sodium sulfate to leached solution. The slurry of rare earth hydroxide was prepared by the addition of $\Re{\cdot}Na(SO_{4})_{2}$ to sodium hydroxide solution. After the oxidation of cerous hydroxide($CE(OH)_{3}$) to ceric hydroxide($CE(OH)_{3}$) by aeration, ceric hydroxide was separated from other rare earth hydroxides by controlling the acidity of solution.