Separation and recovery of some rare earth elements, including cerium (Ce (IV)), ytterbium (Yb(III)) and yttrium (Y(III)) from nitric acid solution using CYANEX 923 in kerosene at 25 degrees C was studied. The parameters which influence the extraction process were separately investigated. On the basis of the slope analysis method on the obtained data, the composition of the extracted species was found to be [Ce (NO3)(3)(OH)center dot 2CY], [Yb (NO3)(2)(OH)center dot 2CY center dot H2O], and [Y (NO3)(2)(OH)center dot 2CY center dot H2O], for Ce (IV), Yb (Ill) and Y (III), respectively, where CY denotes CYANEX 923. The structures of the extracted metal species showed by FT-IR investigations indicated the presence of OH- and NO3- groups. Moreover, the thermodynamic parameters associated with the extraction process were evaluated. Based on the obtained results, as well as those obtained in a previous publication for the extraction of Pr (III), Sm (III) and Nd (III) with CYANEX 923 under similar conditions, a process for the recovery of REE from the Egyptian monazite was proposed and evaluated. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.