Lanthanide Solvent Extraction Cascade

Extraction Settings

Base extraction fraction 55%

Selectivity gap (Sm vs Nd) 15 pp

Cascade status

Feed loaded in stage 1 — press Run cycle.

Cycles run

Feed → organic outlet

Aqueous outlet: Nd purity

50.0%

Organic outlet: Sm purity

—

Single extraction (comparison)

One mix/settle/split only, no cascade:
Aqueous: — Nd · Organic: — Sm
Barely better than the 50/50 feed — this is why real refineries chain hundreds of stages.

Legend

● Nd³⁺ (larger ion, weaker complex) ● Sm³⁺ (smaller ion, stronger complex)
▬ organic: extractant ▬ aqueous: nitrate feed
Each stage mixes the two phases, settles them, then the organic layer moves one stage forward while the aqueous layer stays — the tiny per-stage difference in complexation strength (lanthanide contraction) compounds every cycle.

Organic phase (extractant) Aqueous phase (feed) Nd³⁺ (aqueous-favoring) Sm³⁺ (organic-favoring)

aqueous outlet ← stage 1
stage 6 → organic outlet

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