▁acid ▁waste , ▁and ▁loss ▁of ▁the ▁ph osph ate ▁content ▁of ▁the ▁ore . ▁ ▁Al kal ine ▁crack ing ▁ ▁A ▁more ▁recent ▁process ▁uses ▁hot ▁sod ium ▁hydro x ide ▁solution ▁( 7 3 %) ▁at ▁about ▁ 1 4 0   ° C . ▁ ▁This ▁process ▁allows ▁the ▁valuable ▁ph osph ate ▁content ▁of ▁the ▁ore ▁to ▁be ▁recovered ▁as ▁cry st all ine ▁tr is od ium ▁ph osph ate . ▁ ▁The ▁l anth an ide / th or ium ▁hydro x ide ▁mixture ▁can ▁be ▁treated ▁with ▁hydro ch lor ic ▁acid ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁solution ▁of ▁l anth an ide ▁ch lor ides , ▁and ▁an ▁ins ol ub le ▁sl ud ge ▁of ▁the ▁less - basic ▁thor ium ▁hydro x ide . ▁ ▁Ext raction ▁of ▁rare - ear th ▁met als ▁from ▁mon az ite ▁ore ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁steps ▁detail ▁the ▁extra ction ▁of ▁rare - ear th ▁met als ▁from ▁mon az ite ▁ore . ▁ ▁The ▁process ▁requires ▁many ▁neutral izations ▁and ▁fil tr ations . ▁ ▁Gr inder : ▁Gr ind ▁mon az ite ▁ore ▁to ▁~ 1 5 0 ▁mic rom eters . ▁ ▁Mon az ite ▁ore ▁contains ▁ 5 5 – 6 0 % ▁rare - ear th ▁metal ▁ox ides ▁along ▁with ▁ 2 4 ▁to ▁ 2 9 % ▁P 2 O 5 , ▁ 5 ▁to ▁ 1 0 % ▁Th O 2 , ▁and ▁ 0 . 2 ▁to ▁