The ban on selling light bulbs by the European Union since 2012 caused a sharp increase in demand for compact fluorescent lamps, which emit light with similar colour temperature. This can be achieved by use of rare earth elements. With the application of recycling rates, the EU has committed an important step towards a reduction of dependence on producers of “critical raw materials”. The current market dominance of China and a growing awareness for recycling lead to a demand for new and more efficient recycling processes. Currently about one percent of the discarded fluorescent lamps are recycled. The remaining share is used in landfill. The present thesis deals with the transfer of rare earths from untreated tricolor phosphors into a solution, using an alkaline fusion and subsequent leaching stages with distilled water, to reduce alkaline agents, and 21% hydrochloric acid. To determine the most efficient combi-nation different salts and variable parameters are used.