Abstract: Niobium is usually associated with rare earth. Firstly introduces four kinds of common decomposition processes of concentrated sulfuric acid roasting decomposition, sodium carbonate roasting decomposition, NH₄Cl roasting decompositionand oxidizing roasting decomposition and three kinds of extraction processes like acidic extractant, synergistic extraction and complexation extraction from the aspects of the application range and the advantages and disadvantages. Then, the niobium extraction process of the acidic leaching and alkali leaching and the niobium acidic-alkali separation process are demonstrated. From the views of the progress records of the hydrometallurgical process for rare earth and niobium, how to improve the utilization efficiency of rare earth and niobium resources and reduce the environment pollution is still the driving force for development.

Key words: Rare earth, Niobium, Hydrometallurgy, Decomposition, Extraction