Destruksi Hasil Samping Penambangan Timah Belitung Menggunakan Microwave untuk Ekstraksi Unsur Tanah Jarang

Abstract

Rare earth elements (REE) in pure state are widely used for high-tech electronic equipment. Rare earth elements are contained in by-product of tin mining process. This study attempted to use microwave to destruct sample from by-product of tin mining in Belitung as an effort to obtain pure REE. Parameter of destruction is the ratio sample with NaOH, time, and energy. Preliminary test using X-ray fluorescence shows that the sample contains 377 ppm of lantanum (La) and 125 ppm of yttrium (Y). The best destruction condition occured in ratio sample:NaOH, 35:65 with percentage of destruction 19.96% and 4.48% for La and Y; the best destruction time is 30 minutes by the acquirement of 27.95% La and 4.61% Y; best energy at 450 watt by the acquirement of 38.52% La and 13.86% Y. To get La, destruction uses microwave better than oven, but contrary with Y.