Selective Separation of La(III) and Ce(III) Using Hollow Fiber Membranes: Influence of pH and Extractant Systems
Journal: Minerals
Year: 2025

The selective separation of adjacent rare earth elements (REEs), such as La(III) and Ce(III), is a critical challenge in hydrometallurgy due to their similar chemical properties. This work evaluates the performance of non-dispersive solvent extraction (NDSX) using hollow fiber (HF) membranes for this purpose. Initial solvent extraction (SX) equilibrium experiments with Cyanex® 272 in kerosene determined that the aqueous phase’s optimal pH for selectivity is 5.6, achieving a selectivity of αCe/La