Study on fluoride fixation effect of Bayan Obo rare earth iron ore and three sodium agents under microwave irradiation

To investigate the fluorine fixation of Bayan Obo rare-earth iron ores in beneficiation and metallurgy processes, the effect of three sodium agents, namely, sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, and sodium bicarbonate, on fluorine fixation under the action of microwaves was investigated using X-ray diffraction, chemical detection, and orthogonal experiments. The effects of different types of sodium, roasting temperatures, sodium ratios, and roasting times on the fluorine fixation rate were evaluated. Results show that compared with conventional roasting, the fluorine fixation efficiency of Bayan Obo rare-earth iron ore under the action of microwave is superior after the formulation of the sodium agent, which is crucial for the study. Among the three sodium agents, the fluorine fixation effect of NaHCO3 can be used as the preferred sodium agent. Orthogonal experiments showed that the factors influencing the magnitude of the fluorine fixation rate are the roasting temperature, sodium agent ratio, and roasting constant temperature time in the order of priority. The optimal conditions for the fluorine fixation process are the microwave roasting temperature of 973.15 K, sodium bicarbonate ratio of 40%, and roasting time of 60 min. The highest fluorine fixation rate of 86.72% can be obtained. The findings of this study can provide a reference for the development of green and economic recovery processes for Bayan Obo rare-earth iron ores.