Processes for recovering rare earth elements from aluminum-bearing materials

A process for recovering at least one rare earth element and/or at least one rare metal chosen from In, Zr, Li and Ga from an aluminum-bearing material, said process comprising:

• leaching said aluminum-bearing material with HCl so as to obtain a leachate comprising at least one aluminum ion, at least one iron ion, said at least one rare earth element and/or said at least one rare metal chosen from In, Zr, Li and Ga, and a solid, and separating said leachate from said solid;
• substantially selectively removing said at least one aluminum ion from said leachate by carrying out at least one technique chosen from precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction, hollow-fiber membrane, extracting agent and ion exchange resin, thereby obtaining a composition comprising said at least one iron ion, and said at least one rare earth element and/or said at least one rare metal chosen from In, Zr, Li and Ga;
• substantially selectively at least partially removing said at least one iron ion from said composition by carrying out at least one technique chosen from precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction, hollow-fiber membrane, extracting agent, hydrolysis and ion exchange resin, thereby obtaining a liquor comprising said at least one rare earth element and/or said at least one rare metal chosen from In, Zr, Li and Ga;
• and
• substantially selectively removing said at least one rare earth element and/or said at least one rare metal chosen from In, Zr, Li and Ga from said liquor by carrying out at least one technique chosen from precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction, adsorption, extracting agent, electrowinning and ion exchange resin.

A process for recovering at least one rare earth element and/or at least one rare metal chosen from In, Zr, Li and Ga from an aluminum-bearing material, said process comprising:

• leaching said aluminum-bearing material with HCl so as to obtain a leachate comprising at least one aluminum ion, at least one iron ion, and said at least one rare earth element and/or said at least one rare metal chosen from In, Zr, Li and Ga, and a solid and separating said leachate from said solid;
• substantially selectively removing said at least one iron ion from said leachate by carrying out at least one technique chosen from precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction, hollow-fiber membrane, extracting agent, hydrolysis and ion exchange resin, thereby obtaining a composition comprising said at least one aluminum ion, and said at least one rare earth element and/or said at least one rare metal chosen from In, Zr, Li and Ga;
• and
• substantially selectively at least partially removing said at least one aluminum ion from said composition by carrying out at least one technique chosen from precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction, hollow-fiber membrane, extracting agent and ion exchange resin, thereby obtaining a liquor comprising said at least one rare earth element and/or said at least one rare metal chosen from In, Zr, Li and Ga;
• and
• substantially selectively removing said at least one rare earth element and/or said at least one rare metal chosen from In, Zr, Li and Ga from said liquor by carrying out at least one technique chosen from precipitation, liquid-liquid extraction, adsorption, extracting agent, electrowinning and ion exchange resin.