The primary sources of most lanthanide elements are the minerals monazite and bastnaesite. Neodymium can be extracted from these minerals by ion exchange and solvent extraction. The element can also be obtained by reducing anhydrous neodymium chloride or fluoride with calcium. As the Neodymium production flow chart below suggests, Neodymium and dysprosium can be efficiently separated by solvent extraction using the neutral extractant Cyanex 923. The life cycle of Neodymium (Nd) can be divided into five stages, namely mining and beneficiation, refining, manufacturing, use, and waste management. The manufacturing stage can be further divided into the two steps of manufacturing intermediate products and the manufacturing of end-use products. The stages and activities within the entire Nd production are shown in the below flow chart diagram.
