METHOD FOR EXTRACTING AND REMOVING RARE EARTH METAL IONS FROM PLATING SOLUTION

In an extraction tank (1), a plating solution containing rare earth metal ions is treated with an extracting solution of an extractant in a water-insoluble organic solvent. Extraction treatment is carried out by atomizing the extracting solution through a lower nozzle into the plating solution in the tank lower zone (2), and atomizing the plating solution through an upper nozzle into the extracting solution in the tank upper zone (3), thereby bringing the plating solution in contact with the extracting solution to extract rare earth metal ions from the plating solution into the extractant for removal. An outlet partition (12) defines a channel (14) leading to the plating solution outlet (15) from the lower zone, and separating the plating solution outlet from the upper zone.