Mineral properties and leaching characteristics of volcanic weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore

• Published in: Journal of rare earths Vol. 35; no. 9; pp. 906 - 910
• Main Author: 胡谷华 冯宗玉 董金诗 孟祥龙 肖燕飞 刘向生
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.09.2017
• Subjects: ammonium sulfate leaching; magnesium sulfate leaching; rare earth; volcanic; weathered crust; 沉积; 浸出特性; 淋洗; 火山岩; 特征; 矿物性质; 稀土矿石; 风化壳淋积型稀土矿; rare earth; weathered crust; ammonium sulfate leaching; volcanic; magnesium sulfate leaching
• ISSN: 1002-0721; 2509-4963
• DOI: 10.1016/S1002-0721(17)60993-1

Weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore is an important resource of rare earths, including grantic weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore and volcanic weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore. The development condition of the weathered crust, weathering degree and mineral composition of these ores will be different because of the differences between their parent rocks and weathered crust causes of mineralogy path. Therefore, mineral properties and leaching characteristics of volcanic weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ore from Chongzuo（CZ）, Guangxi province were investigated. It was found that the CZ rare earth ore was a typical mid-yttrium and rich-europium ore, with the overall rare earth（REE） grade in ion-exchangeable phase of 0.15%. Partide size classification showed that finer particle had a higher REE grade. Column leaching tests showed that the leaching efficiency of REE was above 94% with leaching agent concentration of 0.20 mol/L, liquid-solid ratio of 4：3, flow rate of 0.60 mL/min, and initial pH value around 5.67. Compared to ammonium sulfate leaching, magnesium sulfate leaching was advantaged by nearly zero ammonia nitrogen emission while their REE leaching was almost equivalent.