Method for removing molybdenum from tungstate solutions by solvent extraction

Claim 1

A process for separating molybdenum values from an aqueous solution containing molybdenum and tungsten values comprising the following steps: (1) forming an aqueous solution comprising less than about five grams per liter sodium molybdate and from about fifty to about two hundred grams per liter sodium tungstate; (2) sulfidizing said aqueous solution to form a sulfidized solution, said sulfidizing being carried out to an extent sufficient to convert substantially all of the sodium molybdate to sodium thiomolybdenum species, said sulfidizing being substantially less than the extent necessary to convert substantially all of said sodium tungstate to sodium thiotungsten species; and (3) contacting said sulfidized solution at a pH of from about eight to about nine and one-half with a suitable amount of organic extractant for a sufficient period of time to preferentially extract greater than ninety percent of the sodium thiomolybdenum species into the organic extractant, said organic extractant consisting essentially of tricaprylyl monomethyl ammonia chloride as the active extractant and the balance being an organic solvent comprising a mixture of alkyl benzenes having total carbon atoms in the alkyl group of from three to five, said active extractant being present as a volume percent of total organic extractant in an amount less than about three percent by volume wherein said volume percent is selected to result in greater than ninety percent of the sodium thiomolybdenum species and less than about five percent of the sodium thiotungsten species present in said solution being extracted.