I. V. Tananaev Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Rare Elements and Mineral Raw Materials, Kola Scientific Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences

V. I. Zakharov, Head of Laboratory
G. S. Skiba, Head of Laboratory
A. V. Solovev, Senior Researcher
V. N. Lebedev, Senior Researcher
D. V. Mayorov, Senior Researcher, e-mail: mayorov@chemy.kolasc.net.ru

Conditions of raw materials base and production of zirconium, niobium and rare-earth products in Russia have been analyzed. Just baddeleyite is limitedly produced in Russia. That’s why the needs of zirconium raw materials are met by import. Overwhelming majority of niobium and rare-earth elements are produced on the basis of processing of high-priced loparite (which contains just rare-earth elements of light group). At the same time the country has practically unlimited source for obtainment of these elements. This is eudialyte, which world’s largest deposit is in Kola Peninsula. Though zircon contains more zirconium, eudialyte contains up to 2.5% of rare-earth elements, abnormally enriched with elements of heavy group, and up to 1% of niobium. Complex extraction of all telic components of eudialyte creates the preconditions for economically profitable technology of its processing. The main methods of acid processing of this mineral are considered in this article. During nitric acid processing niobium is not extracted. Vitriolic technology is associated with loss of rare-earth elements which create insoluble double salt with sodium sulfate. This article shows the research results of technology development of eudialyte concentrate processing, which allows to extract all telic components of this raw material. Preliminary technical and economic calculations proved the possibility of profitable processing of eudialyte based on this technology.

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