	US 12,103,860 B2
	Preparation process for rare earth metal fluorides
Daniel Moolman, Pretoria (ZA); Ryno Pretorius, Pretoria (ZA); Johannes Petrus Le Roux, Pretoria (ZA); and Hendrik Faurie Niemand, Hartbeespoort (ZA)
Assigned to The South African Nuclear Energy Corporation Soc Limited, North West Province (ZA)
Appl. No. 16/530,540
Filed by THE SOUTH AFRICAN NUCLEAR ENERGY CORPORATION SOC LIMITED, North West Province (ZA)
PCT Filed Feb. 2, 2018, PCT No. PCT/IB2018/050665 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 2, 2019, PCT Pub. No. WO2018/142337, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 9, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 2017/00860 (ZA), filed on Feb. 3, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2020/0039835 A1, Feb. 6, 2020
Int. Cl. C01F 17/265 (2020.01)

CPC C01F 17/265 (2020.01)

1 Claim

1. A method of producing solid neodymium trifluoride (NdF₃), the method, comprising:

introducing pellets consisting of solid neodymium carbonate hydrate to a reactor;

introducing an anhydrous gas stream comprising hydrogen fluoride to the reactor; and

reacting the solid neodymium carbonate hydrate with the hydrogen fluoride to produce pellets consisting of neodymium trifluoride, wherein the reaction takes place at a temperature that is equal to or greater than 80° C. and equal to or less than 250° C. and at a pressure which avoids condensation of any water present or generated in the reactor.