SELECTIVE DETERMINATION OF YTTRIUM IN GEOLOGICAL-MATERIALS BY ION-INTERACTION CHROMATOGRAPHY

Selective separation and determination of yttrium in rare earth ores have been achieved by high performance ion-interaction chromatography. Ores are decomposed by sulfuric acid and the rare earths are precipitated in a group as oxalates. Yttrium is then separated from the other rare earths on a C-18 bonded phase silica column modified with 1-octanesulfonate by linear concentration gradient elution for 20 min with 0.15 to 0.40 M glycolic acid (pH 3.5). Yttrium elutes at about 10 min between samarium and neodymium, being separated selectively from all the rare earths as well as scandium, thorium and uranium. Post-column reaction detection and quantitation with Arsenazo III [2,7-bis(2-arsonophenylazo)-1,8-dihydroxynaphthalene-3.6-disulfonic acid] are carried out at 650 nm. Quantitative results are quoted for yttrium in sophisticated, synthetic rare earth mixtures, monazite and xenotime.