THE RAW MATERIAL FOR THE EXTRACTION OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS

THE RAW MATERIAL FOR THE EXTRACTION OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS

Rare earth mineral that form their own deposits:

To extract the rare earth elements industrial importance are the following minerals:

Rare earth elements are extracted from the following minerals too:

Rare earth elements can be extracted also from these minerals:

Rare earth elements are contained in uranium minerals:

Wastes from production, which contain significant quantities of rare earth mineral:

Phosphogypsum, cakes of tungsten production
Waste production of titanium
Middling products of processing of uranium ores
Ash from burning coal
REE are concentrated in the red mud waste generated by alumina production from bauxite through the Bayer process.
A large amount of rare earthsis in uranium deposits, and may be extracted as a by-product.

Rare earth elements don't accumulate equally in all minerals.

In the scandium, zirconium and manganese minerals may be present only the Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu elements.
In the uranium minerals mainly there are the Y, Dy, Ga elements.
In the thorium minerals, the elements of the cerium group (La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu).
The composition of strontium and barium minerals may include only the elements La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu.

The minerals, which contain predominantly the cerium group elements (LREE: Sc, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, (Eu, Gd)):

The minerals of cerium group contain 30-59 % Ce₂O₃; 15-30 % La₂O₃; 10-20 % Nd₂O₃; 5-8 % Pr₂O₃.

The minerals, which contain predominantly the yttrium group elements (HREE: Y, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, (Eu, Gd)):

The minerals of yttrium group contain 20-80 % Y₂O₃; 3-12 % Eu₂O₃, 4-15 % Dy₂O₃.

The mineral, which contains the elements cerium and yttrium groups:

REM is extracted from these ores (as associated components):