An integrated process for separation and recovery of tantalum from spent TaCrTi sputtering targets by hydrometallurgical methods

In order to recover valued metals from spent TaCrTi sputtering targets, an integrated hydrometallurgical method including leaching, solvent extraction and precipitation was proposed. Most of impurities were firstly removed by H2SO4, Ta and Ti then enriched in the leaching residues were dissolved by H2SO4 mixed with HF. 99% of Ta dissolved in the solution was separated by extraction with tri-butyl-phosphate (TBP) and stripped by 3.9 M NH4F solution. Ta2O5 powders were obtained in the Ta stripping solution by adding aqueous ammonia following calcination in the tube furnace at 900 degrees C. K2TiF6 powders was prepared by adding the KCl in the Ta free raffinate. An integrated process for recovery Ta and Ti from the spent TaCrTi sputtering targets was proposed.