AbstractA process has been proposed for the treatment of apatite concentrate obtained from the dephosphorization of iron ore. In this process, the apatite is acidulated by HNO3to produce high‐purity H3PO4. The crude acid obtained is shown to be at least equivalent to, if not better than, the typical wet‐process acid. The H3PO4is purified by extraction and concentrated by evaporation. The spent HNO3is regenerated by H2SO4to precipitate gypsum. Rare earths dissolved during the apatite acidulation are recovered by precipitation with oxalic acid. The process is to be integrated with the processing of the solutions obtained from the direct leaching of iron ore (the phosphorus removal) with HNO3. The integrated process is more economical than the single treatment and also it offers the flexibility of producing both sinter‐fines and pellets to meet demand in steel manufa