RECOVERY OF YTTRIUM AND EUROPIUM COMPOUNDS

A recovery process includes contacting a powder comprising an admixture of yttrium oxide and europium oxide with an inorganic acid to form an acidic solution containing yttrium ions and europium ions. In a first multiple plate liquid-liquid extraction stage, the acidic solution (aqueous phase) is contacted with an organic solvent (organic phase) by countercurrent extraction, to extract, into the organic phase, yttrium ions, while the europium ions remain in the aqueous phase. The yttrium-rich organic phase (extract) is treated to recover a yttrium compound. The europium-rich aqueous phase (raffinate) is treated in a second multiple plate liquid-liquid extraction stage, where it is contacted with an organic solvent (organic phase) thereby to extract by means of countercurrent extraction europium ions into the organic phase. The europium-rich organic phase is treated to recover a europium compound.