2. In a cyclic process for the extraction of bases of rare elements of the group consisting of thorium, tantalum, caesium, niobium, zirconium, germanium, scandium, beryllium and lithium, contained in relatively small proportions in silicated minerals, the steps consisting of crushing the mineral, mixing it in a paste with a metal fluoride not easily soluble in water and of the group consisting of lithium, magnesium, aluminium, calcium, copper, strontium and lead fluorides, and an aqueous solution containing a strong acid and a water soluble alkali-metal salt of said strong acid, heating said paste at a low temperature to form a water soluble salt of the metal of the said fluoride, expelling from the paste the liquid containing the said water soluble salt, briquetting the paste and heating it to a high temperature to form water soluble fluorine compound of the rare element to be extracted, lixiviating the reaction product, separating therefrom a solution containing the fluorine compound of the rare element and at least a part of the initial alkali-metal salt, electrolyzing said solution to precipitate the rare element in the form of an insoluble hydroxide, separating said precipitate, regenerating from the residual liquid and from the liquid expelled from the first named paste the not easily water soluble metal fluoride, the strong acid and the water soluble alkali-metal salt of said strong acid, and returning them into the cycle. |