Preparation of crystalline rare earth carbonates with large particle size from the lixivium of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores

Jing-qun Yin; Zhi-qiang Zou; Jun Tian

doi:10.1007/s12613-020-2066-4

Volume 27 Issue 11

Nov. 2020

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Article Navigation > International Journal of Minerals, Metallurgy and Materials > 2020 > 27(11): 1482-1488

Jing-qun Yin, Zhi-qiang Zou, and Jun Tian, Preparation of crystalline rare earth carbonates with large particle size from the lixivium of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 27(2020), No. 11, pp. 1482-1488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-020-2066-4

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Jing-qun Yin, Zhi-qiang Zou, and Jun Tian, Preparation of crystalline rare earth carbonates with large particle size from the lixivium of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores, Int. J. Miner. Metall. Mater., 27(2020), No. 11, pp. 1482-1488. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12613-020-2066-4

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Research Article

Preparation of crystalline rare earth carbonates with large particle size from the lixivium of weathered crust elution-deposited rare earth ores

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Corresponding author:
Jun Tian E-mail: tianjun63@126.com
Received: 4 December 2019; Revised: 13 April 2020; Accepted: 15 April 2020; Available online: 16 April 2020

Abstract

Abstract

Crystalline rare-earth (RE) carbonates having large particle size were prepared from the lixivium of weathered crust elution-deposited rare-earth ores using the precipitation method with ammonium bicarbonate as the precipitant. Their chemical composition was studied using elemental and thermogravimetric analyses (TGA), and their structure and morphology were characterized using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results demonstrate that the crystalline rare-earth carbonate is a hydrated basic carbonate or oxycarbonate and not astable intermediate carbonate in the process of thermal decomposition. The particle size of crystalline rare-earth carbonates with large particle size is in the range of 50–200 μm. With an RE₂O₃ content of up to 95wt%, the quality of crystalline rare-earth carbonates is higher compared to the Chinese National Standard (GB/T 28882–2012). The quality of the product is superior to the Chinese National Standard.
- rare-earth ores;
- precipitation;
- crystalline rare-earth carbonate;
- large particle size

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