Light Rare Earth Elements enrichment in an acidic mine lake (Lusatia, Germany)

Abstract

The distribution of Rare Earth Elements (REE) was investigated in the acidic waters (lake and groundwater) of a lignite mining district (Germany). The Fe- and SO4-rich lake water (pH 2.7) displays high REE contents (e.g. La∼70 μg/l, Ce∼160 μg/l) and an enrichment of light REE (LREE) in the NASC normalised pattern. Considering the hydrodynamic model and geochemical data, the lake water composition may be calculated as a mixture of inflowing Quaternary and mining dump groundwaters. The groundwater of the dump aquifer is LREE enriched. Nevertheless, the leachates of dump sediments generally have low REE contents and display flat NASC normalised patterns. However, geochemical differences and REE pattern in undisturbed lignite (LREE enriched pattern and low water soluble REE contents) and the weathered lignite of the dumps (flat REE pattern and high water soluble REE contents) suggest that lignite is probably the main REE source rock for the lake water.