AWARDEE OF TECHNOLOGICAL SCIENCES PRIZE

ZHANG GUOCHENG

Abstract

Mr. Zhang Guocheng, an expert in metallurgy and separation of RE (rare earth), was born in Kunming, Yunnan Province of China in October, 1931. Since he graduated from Kunming Univerity of Science & Technology in 1956, he has been working in General Researth Institute for Non-ferrous Metals (GRINM), specializing in the treatment of rare earth ore and separation of RE.
In the field of treatment of RE ore and extration, he invented a new process, Roasting Strongly with Sulfuric Acid and Solvent Extraction for Mixed-type RE Concentrate. In Ganshu Rare Earth Company, China, he was in charge of designing of the largest production line of RECl3 in the world, capacity of which has reached 2000 tons RECl3 per year. The process invented by him is applied to the production line. The development of the process has solved the problem of treatment of Baotou mixed-type RE concentrate, which is known as the most difficult to treat. In 1980s, he also developed an advanced separating process from RE sulfate solution by solvent extraction with P204, with which the separa-ting process is simplyfied and production cost reduces by 25 per cent. The original separation process of 4 plants of North Rare Earth Group, China, was replaced by the advanced one. Because of the application of the new separating process, Chinese RE industry made a great advance. During the last more than ten years, applying the invented and developed processes, he was in charge of designing 5 RE plants together, all of which can produce RECl3 more than 40 000 tons per year, equivalent to about 40 per cent of annual total consumption in the world. Advanced technology, low price and good quality guarantee Chinese RE industry dominate position in the world. In 1960s, he invented roasting in air and leaching with dilute sulfuric acid process for treating bastnasite, which has been spread in the whole country.
In the field of separation of RE, his inventions include basic method to prepare fluorescent grade Eu2O3, solvent extraction with P204 to separete Nd2O3 and so on. All the inventions have become main flow of production in China. He has won state-level awards for five times. In 1995, he was elected a member of Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE).