| Title: |
The Rare Earth Elements Potential of Greek Bauxite Active Mines in the Light of a Sustainable REE Demand |
| Authors: |
Gamaletsos, Platon; Godelitsas, Athanasios; Filippidis, Anestis; Pontikes, Yiannis |
| Source: |
Gamaletsos , P , Godelitsas , A , Filippidis , A & Pontikes , Y 2019 , ' The Rare Earth Elements Potential of Greek Bauxite Active Mines in the Light of a Sustainable REE Demand ' , Journal of Sustainable Metallurgy , vol. 5 , no. 1 , pp. 20-47 . https://doi.org/10.1007/s40831-018-0192-2 |
| Publication Year: |
2019 |
| Subject Terms: |
Rare earth elements; Scandium; Bauxite; Bauxite residue; Red mud; /dk/atira/pure/sustainabledevelopmentgoals/life_below_water; name=SDG 14 - Life Below Water; geo; envir |
| Description: |
More recent data of Greek bauxites from the Parnassos-Ghiona active mines prove that rare earth elements (REEs) occur mainly in the form of authigenic/diagenetic LREE 3+ carbonate and phosphate minerals (bastnäsite/parisite group and florencite). Bulk geochemistry of representative samples, from underground mines and open pits, showed an increased content in LREE (ΣLREE—from La to Gd—varying between 106 and 913 ppm; avg. ΣLREE = 321 ppm; n = 17), and lower HREE (ΣHREE—from Tb to Lu including Y—varying between 45 and 179 ppm; avg. ΣHREE = 95; n = 17). The overall REE concentration (ΣREE + Y+Sc) varies from 192 to 1109 ppm (avg. 463 ppm; n = 17). The most abundant REE is Ce (min: 67 ppm; max: 655 ppm; avg. 193 ppm; n = 17), exhibiting in general a positive geochemical anomaly (avg. Ce/Ce* -Ce A -: 2.6), identical to the case of marine Fe–Mn-crust and terrestrial desert vanish, implying also that Ce 4+ may exist either in REE-oxides and/or epigenetically sorbed in Fe-oxides. On the other hand, Nd content, which is more interesting for the industry, is lower (avg. 41 ppm; n = 17). The concentration of REEs is much higher in Fe-rich (red) bauxite, compared to Fe-depleted (white) bauxite (avg. ΣREE + Y+Sc = 569 ppm and 268 ppm, respectively). The new data presented herein show a rather lower REE potential of Parnassos-Ghiona bauxites, compared to previous literature, but similar values compared to karst-type bauxites of the globe. Although their REE concentration is higher compared to that of various geochemical reference materials (i.e., positive REE geochemical anomalies in comparison with chondrites, UCC, PAAS, NASC, and ES), it is vitally lower compared to REE resources being mined, such as REE–Fe–Nb–Th deposits. A trend similar to REE geochemical trend also stands for most of the trace elements that are present in Greek bauxites—mainly HFSE—except for LILE. Besides, Greek bauxite metallurgical residue’s (red mud) REE content seems to be remarkably increased by almost two times compared to that of the . |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/cddb3ee4-4dd9-450e-981c-1630913ed4a1 |
| Availability: |
https://orbit.dtu.dk/en/publications/cddb3ee4-4dd9-450e-981c-1630913ed4a1 |
| Rights: |
undefined |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.CF1F03AD |
| Database: |
BASE |