Abstract: The present invention provides a method for recovering niobium from a hydrochloric acid solution which contains niobium and vanadium and which may also contain other metals such as, for example, zirconium, titanium, iron, chromium and aluminum. Broadly, the method comprises heating such a solution at a low pH for a period of time sufficient to form a niobium-containing precipitate substantially free of vanadium. Preferably, the solution is heated in the presence of a small amount of sulfuric acid. The precipitate then is recovered from the solution.

Abstract: Uranium values are obtained from phosphate rock by acidifying phosphate rock containing uranium values and at least one other heavy metal with a mineral acid so as to obtain a crude acid, solvent extracting the crude acid with an organic solvent so as to separate a raffinate from a relatively pure, wet process phosphoric acid and treating said raffinate with a base so as to raise the pH to 1-2 whereby uranium hydroxide or phosphate and other heavy metal hydroxides or phosphates are coprecipitated. The uranium content of the coprecipitate after drying is at least as high as 0.3% which is comparable to that of uranium ores of the highest quality.

Abstract: Process for post-treating a chlorinated ilmenite ore which has undergone a selective chlorination treatment in the presence of a solid carbonaceous material, which comprises subjecting the chlorinated ilmenite ore to a magnetic separation in a high magnetic field to separate it into a magnetic portion and non-magnetic portion, subjecting the residual of the solid carbonaceous material concentrated in the non-magnetic portion to flotation, using a frothing agent such as methylisobutylcarbinol and a collector for a sulfide ore such as xanthate, Aerofloat or the like, and washing a gangue value partially liberated from the ilmenite ore with water or suspending it in water in said flotation to separate these materials respectively thereby to produce an artificial rutile with a TiO.sub.2 content of at least 95% as a final product.