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Phosphogypsum (PG) is a residue of the phosphate fertilizer industry that has relatively high concentrations of harmful radioactive materials. The reduction in concentration of the radionuclides from PG was investigated. The removal process is based on leaching of radionuclides using suitable organic extractants. The studied radionuclides were 226Ra, 210Pb, 238U and 40K. The factors affect the leaching process such as type of leaching materials, contact time, concentration of the desired solvent, liquid to solid ratio, and temperature were studied. Based on the experimental results, about 71.1, 76.4, 62.4, and 75.7% of 226Ra, 210Pb, 238U and 40K respectively were successfully removed from the PG. The reduction in the concentration of radionuclides was accompanied by reduction in the concentration of rare earth elements (∑REE) equals to 69.8%. Using the desired organic extractant under optimum conditions for treatment of the PG waste leads to obtain a decontaminated product that can be safely used in many industrial applications.

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Fergusonite-Y occurs at the mineralized pegmatite injected in Abu Dob granitic pluton, Central Eastern Desert of Egypt as dark brown, anhedral clusters of distinguishable megascopic crystals up to tens of millimeters. The mineral is intimately intergrown with Hf-Zircon. Heavy minerals mineralogy for the studied samples revealed that both fergusonite-Y and Hf-Zircon could reach 28% by weight of the original rock sample. Beside these minerals, some kasolite, titanite and allanite-Ce minerals occur in much lower amount. Allanite-Ce was found as numerous inclusions of variable size and pattern in titanite. Detailed microscopic examination, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope (ESEM) were used to identify and describe the studied minerals. Physical upgrading of these minerals was carried out using gravitative and magnetic separation techniques. Gravitative separation proved rather good potentialities to attain a good concentrate of both fergusonite-Y and Hf-Zircon with an acceptable recovery. By applying the laboratory Carpco high intensity lift-type magnetic separator for the tabling concentrates, it was possible to attain a good separation between fergusonite-Y as magnetic concentrate and Hf-Zircon as non-magnetic concentrate. Due to the economic importance of the studied minerals and their metal values as they are used in several industrial applications, it is recommended to subject both of the final concentrates to proper hydrometallurgical treatment to extract their metal content.

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