METHOD FOR EXTRACTING SCANDIUM FROM SCANDIUM-CONTAINING MATERIALS

A method for extracting scandium from scandium-containing materials comprises repulping a cake of a scandiumcontaining material using a solution of a sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate mixture, carbonization leaching the scandiumcontaining material using the soda-bicarbonate solution in a single step, filtering the leached scandium-containing material, and isolating a scandium concentrate. The carbonization leaching of the scandium-containing material is performed using a solution of a sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate mixture with a concentration of 130-350 of Na2CO3 and 2-100 of NaHCO3 at a pulp pH of 9.5-11.0 and at a temperature of 20-90°C. The required pulp pH value is maintained by treating the pulp with a gas-air mixture containing CO2. Isolation of the scandium concentrate from the leaching filtrate is carried out in a single step by treating the filtrate with an alkali solution. The method makes it possible to increase the scandium extraction yield, to simplify the process flow scheme and to eliminate the use of sorbents and extractants.