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<p>The Kadabora granitic pluton in Egypt’s Central Eastern Desert hosts zircon pegmatite in uranium, thorium, ytterbium, and yttrium, making it a promising feedstock for selective recovery of critical rare-earth and radioactive elements. This study investigates an integrated physico-chemical processing route for Kadabora pegmatite to achieve efficient separation of U, Th, Yb, and Y. Zircon was first concentrated by comminution, gravity, and magnetic separation. The resulting concentrate was subjected to alkali fusion-acid leaching, and, under the following conditions of alkali fusion using mixed NaOH/KOH at 723&#xa0;K, − 230 mesh, 60&#xa0;min, 1:1 solid-to-alkali ratio, and acid leaching at 6&#xa0;M HCl, 353&#xa0;K, 1:6 fused concentrate-to-acid ratio, 30&#xa0;min, near-complete recovery of Th, U, Yb, and Y was achieved, while Zr remained undigested and was recovered as a valuable by-product. Solvent extraction with Aliquat 336 and D2EHPA selectively separated Th and U from chloride and nitrate media, respectively, leaving Yb and Y in solution for downstream separation. The results demonstrate that combining physical beneficiation with sequential alkaline fusion, acid leaching, and solvent extraction provides an effective strategy for the selective recovery of strategic elements from Kadabora zircon concentrate.</p>

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Integrated Physico-Chemical Processing of Zircon for Selective Recovery of Critical Rare-Earth and Radioactive Elements

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年7月30日

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  • Ahmed A. Eliwa,
  • Amal E. Mubark,
  • Mona M. Fawzy

摘要

The Kadabora granitic pluton in Egypt’s Central Eastern Desert hosts zircon pegmatite in uranium, thorium, ytterbium, and yttrium, making it a promising feedstock for selective recovery of critical rare-earth and radioactive elements. This study investigates an integrated physico-chemical processing route for Kadabora pegmatite to achieve efficient separation of U, Th, Yb, and Y. Zircon was first concentrated by comminution, gravity, and magnetic separation. The resulting concentrate was subjected to alkali fusion-acid leaching, and, under the following conditions of alkali fusion using mixed NaOH/KOH at 723 K, − 230 mesh, 60 min, 1:1 solid-to-alkali ratio, and acid leaching at 6 M HCl, 353 K, 1:6 fused concentrate-to-acid ratio, 30 min, near-complete recovery of Th, U, Yb, and Y was achieved, while Zr remained undigested and was recovered as a valuable by-product. Solvent extraction with Aliquat 336 and D2EHPA selectively separated Th and U from chloride and nitrate media, respectively, leaving Yb and Y in solution for downstream separation. The results demonstrate that combining physical beneficiation with sequential alkaline fusion, acid leaching, and solvent extraction provides an effective strategy for the selective recovery of strategic elements from Kadabora zircon concentrate.