New potential source of rare earth elements

Abstract

REE metals are a vital yet scarce resource which play a particularly significant role in developed countries and their technologically advanced economies. Disturbances in the international mineral commodities market for REE’s caused by the Chinese supply monopoly force industrialized countries to launch intensive programs to discover new sources of these elements (even considering post-processing tailings). This paper discusses the mineral composition of tailings obtained in cassiterite extraction on Bangka Island. The analyzed tailing samples contain up to 21.23%wmonazite, up to 17.55%w xenotime (Sungkap, Bangka), as well as zircon, ilmenite, anatase, rutile, pseurorutile, and cassiterite. Aside fromREE’s, niobiumand tantalumwere identified in slag formed during tin smelting. The authors estimate that annually a minimum of 10,000 tons of minerals containing REE’s (both LREE’s-monazite and HREE’s-xenotime) can be further processed.