The Recovery of Beryllium from Beryl by a Nonaqueous HF-NO_2 Solution

A study was conduced to the recovery of beryllium from beryl by the nitrofluor process. A complete disintegration of the beryl was achieved within 10 hours in a nonaqueous solvent consisting of 80 mole % HF-20 mole % NO_2 at 80℃. During the decomposition, complex metallic fluorides were produced, and all of beryllium dissolved in the solvent while aluminum presipitated leaving a few percent in the solution. For further isolation of the complex fluoride, the beryllium bearing compound was heated up to 400℃, redessolved in the solvent and then dried again. Subsequently, most of aluminum and silicon were eliminated from the beryllium fluoride due to a poor solubility of AlF_3 formed during the heating and a sublimation of (NO_2)SiF_6 respectively