YTTRIUM Availability of high purity yttrium and rare earth oxides A report by LINDSAY
Only three years ago, most high p u r i t y rare earths were little more than laboratory curiosities. T o d a y they are extensively used for
an amazing variety of chemical and industrial applications. W h a t h a p p e n e d ? Lindsay technicians pioneered the first commercially
TYPICAL MAXIMUM IMPURITIES IN LINDSAY PU RIFIED RARE EARTH AND YTTRIUM OXIDES ATOMIC NO.
OXIDE
CODE
PURITY
% RARE EARTH MAXIMUM IMPURITIES AS OXIDES
57
La203.
LANTHANUM OXIDE
528 529
99.99 99.997
0.01 Pr, O.001 Ce. 0.0O25 Pr, 0.0005 others
58
Ce0 2 .
CERIC OXIDE
215 216
99.8 99.9
0.2 (largely La 4 Pr 4 Nd). 0.1 (largely La 4- Pr 4 - Nd).
59
Pr60n-
60
Nd203.
NEODYMIUM OXIQE
62
Sm203.
SAMARIUM OXIDE
63
Eu203.
Gd 2 0 3 .
GADOLINIUM OXIDE
65
Tb407.
TERBIUM OXIDE
66
Dy203.
DYSPROSIUM OXIDE
Ho203.
99 99.9
1 La 4 Nd 4 smaller amounts of Ce and Sm. 0.1 Ce 4 Nd.
628 629 629.9
95 99 99.9
1-4 Pr, 1-4 Sm, 0.5-1 others. 0.1-0.4 Pr 4 0.1-0.4 Sm 4 0.5 others. 0.1 (largely Pr 4 Sm).
822
99
823
99.9
0.2-0.7 Gd, 0.2-O.6 Eu, and smaller amounts of others. 0.1 (largely Nd 4 Gd 4 Eu).
1012
98-99
1011
99.8
1-2 Sm 4- smaller amounts of Nd 4 Gd - { - o t h e r s . 0.2 (largely Sm 4 Gd 4 Nd).
99 99.9
1 Sm 4- Eu 4- trace Tb. 0.1 Sm 4 Eu 4- trace Tb.
1803 1805
99 99.9
1 Gd 4 Dy 4- Y. 0.1 Gd 4 Dy 4- Y.
1703
99
1705
99.9
1 (largely Ho + Y + Tb 4 small amounts of others). 0.1 Ho - f Y 4- traces of others.
1603
99
1605
99.9
1 (largely Er 4 - Dy - f small amounts of others). 0.1 Er 4 Dy 4- traces of others.
EUROPIUM OXIDE
64
67
726 729.9
PRASEODYMIUM OXIDE
928,9 929.9
HOLMIUM OXIDE
68
Er203.
ERBIUM OXIDE
1303 1305
99 99.9
1 Ho 4 Dy 4 traces Yb and Y. 0.1 Ho 4 Tm.
69
Tm203.
THULIUM OXIDE
1405 1403
99.9 99
0.1 Er 4 Yb 4- trace Lu. 1 Er 4 Yb 4 trace Lu
70
Yb203.
YTTERBIUM OXIDE
1201 1202
99 99.9
1 Er 4 Tm 4 trace Lu. 0.1 Tm 4 trace Lu 4- Er.
71
Lu203.
LUTETIUM OXIDE
1503 1505
99 99.9
1 Yb + Tm 4- traces of others. 0.1 Yb 4 Tm 4- traces of others.
39
Y203.
YTTRIUM OXIDE
1112 1115 1116
99 99.9 99.9 4 -
1 Dy - f Gd 4 traces Tb and others. 0.1 Dy 4 Gd 4- traces Tb Approx. 0.05 Dy 4 Gd.
PLEASE ADDRESS INQUIRIES TO
LINDSAY CHEMICAL ( O M P A N Y 266 ANN STREET « WEST CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
installed ion exchange unit for the production of separated rare earths. The process was patterned after techniques developed b y Doctors Spedding and Powell of the Institute for Atomic Research at Ames, Iowa. Lindsay's pilot plant rare earth ion exchange installation h a d 4 0 six-inch columns. This u n i t made purified rare earths available t o industry for the first time in practical, even though still limited, quantities. The response from industry w a s so enthusiastic, we were forced to expand our ion exchange facilities rapidly. Today we have in continuous operation more than 100 columns with large production units of eighteen-inch and sixty-inch diameters. With our larger production facilities, we are now making prompt shipments of high purity yttrium and rare earth oxides in quantities from a gram to hundreds of pounds. COSTS GREATLY REDUCED
Of course, as production of purified rare earths increased, costs came down. For example, only three years ago Terbium Oxide cost $500 a gram. Today you can obtain moderate size lots at less than $3 a gram. Now that you know these high purity oxides are so readily available and the cost so remarkably low, what are you waiting for? Rare earths, in purities u p to 99.99%, have captured the interest and imagination of scientists i n many industries as valuable new tools for t h e improvement of processes and products. Your research, product development and production people should investigate the possibilities of these materials. Our bulletin "Purified Rare Earth and Yttrium Oxides" will give you detailed information and prices. OCT.
2 1,
1957
C&EN
55
