Abstract
Several hundred million tons of ion-adsorption rare earth tailings exist in Ganzhou, Southern China, which is a severe environmental hazard. To reduce and reutilize the tailing, kaolinite has been separated from the tailings by mechanical separation in laboratory scale and pilot scale. The results show that the tailing is mainly composed of fine kaolinite and coarse quart. Quartz and kaolinite can be separated by sieves, shaker, spiral chute or hydrocyclone, which has the similar results in laboratory scale and pilot scale. 30.2% of the tailings can be re-sourced and applied in ceramic industries. 41.7% of kaolinite can be obtained after sorting and iron removal by magnetic separator in pilot scale, which can be applied in ceramic industries according to the Chinese national standard (TC-3). The results give a progressive solution to re-source the tailings economically.
Highlights
Rare earth elements (REEs) have become vital and indispensable components of many high-tech products, devices and technologies
Kaolinite had been sorted from ion-adsorption rare earth tailings in Southern China in laboratory scale and pilot scale
The conclusions can be drawn as following: 1) The ion-adsorption rare earth tailing in Southern China is mainly compose of kaolinite and quartz, which can be re-sourced because no radioactive minerals exist
Summary
Rare earth elements (REEs) have become vital and indispensable components of many high-tech products, devices and technologies. What is left in China is million tons of tailings because rare earth ore deposits have relatively low REEs concentrations ranging from 10 to a few hundred parts. (2016) Separation of Kaolinite from Ion-Adsorption Rare Earth Tailings in Southern China and Iron Removal Treatment. Ion-adsorption rare earth reserves only distribute in seven provinces of southern China (Su, 2009; Wübbeke, 2013) [1] [4]. The ion-adsorption rare earth deposits were formed by chemical weathering decomposition and dissolution of granite and granite porphyry (containing relative high abundance of rare earth elements) and subsequent adsorption and enrichment on clay minerals during the migration and penetration process of rare earth mineral solutions. The tailings can be and must be re-sourced because there are 191 million tons of tailings just distributed in Ganzhou region (Jiangxi Province, Southern China)
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