The invention discloses a method for recovering valuable elements in
phosphorite step by step through gradient acid leaching, which comprises the following steps: firstly, mixing high-
magnesium phosphorite and high-
silicon phosphorite in proportion for ore blending, and carrying out crushing, grading and ball milling until the particle size is less than or equal to 200 meshes; then, adopting a gradient acid leaching process: (1) leaching with low-concentration inorganic acid (1-3wt%), and preferentially and selectively removing
dolomite and
calcite to obtain
phosphate concentrate and
leachate rich in
calcium and
magnesium; (2) leaching the
phosphate concentrate by using medium-concentration inorganic acid (5-8wt%), and dissolving the
phosphate concentrate to obtain a phosphate concentrate
leachate and residues mainly containing iron, aluminum and
silicon; and (3) leaching the residues by using high-concentration inorganic acid (30-40wt%) to obtain
silicon-rich residues and a leaching solution rich in iron and aluminum. (4) neutralizing and carbonizing the
calcium-
magnesium leaching solution, and respectively precipitating and recovering magnesium
hydroxide and
calcium carbonate; (5) carrying out
fractional precipitation on the phosphate concentrate
leachate to obtain
rare earth enrichment and calcium
hydrogen phosphate; (6) carrying out alkali
dissolution and
carbonization reaction on the silicon-rich
slag to prepare high-purity white
carbon black; and (7) carrying out
iron powder reduction,
neutralization aluminum removal and oxidation iron
precipitation on the iron and aluminum lixivium to prepare the battery-grade
iron phosphate. The method is simple and convenient to operate, energy-saving and environment-friendly, various valuable elements in the phosphorite are efficiently recycled, and the economic added value of phosphorite resources is increased.