Tantalite treatment process at the Congo deposit and columbite at the Zashikhinsk deposit

Abstract

The conditions of tantalite (Congo deposit) and the decomposition of columbite (Zashikhinsk deposit) using an HF and H₂SO₄ mixture when heated to 80°C have been found. The extraction of Ta and Nb into solutions achieved levels of more than 99% and ∼94% for tantalite and columbite, accordingly. It has been found that operation with filtrates that were obtained during the decomposition of concentrates and sent for the Ta and Nb extraction was radiation-proof. Schemes for the Ta and Nb separation and cleaning by octanol-1 extraction have been proposed.