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By A. Duerksen

Surface coal mining in West Virginia has supplied energy to the eastern coast of the United States for over a century. The coal mining industry has been forced to adapt as societal demands regarding health, safety, and environmental impacts have changed with time. More recent pressure has called for another iteration of change: long-term post-mining sustainability. The research presented in this paper investigates one potential solution?or component of a solution?to improve mining sustainability in Appalachia: post-mining wind power. This paper intends to demonstrate and explain the feasibility of synergistic mine closure and wind development. Wind conditions at three reclaimed mine sites in West Virginia were monitored in order to develop representative case studies for post-mining wind power. This paper contains a summary of the literature consulted to plan the site assessments, the methodology employed to execute them, the analysis steps undertaken to derive conclusions, and a discussion of all findings. This research has found that significant cost savings can be yielded from synergistic mine closure and wind development, as compared to greenfield wind development. Though wind conditions themselves remain the primary driver for site feasibility, post-mining wind power is a practice with significant promise for improving project economics, contributing to renewable energy development, enhancing company-community relations, providing local employment opportunities, and exemplifying sustainable business practices in Appalachia.

Jan 1, 2012

By J. R. Goode

"Canada developed pioneering rare earth solvent extraction methods to recover the rare earths and thorium as by-products of uranium recovery operations in Elliot Lake, Ontario, and was a major supplier of these key elements from about 1960 until 1990. At one stage, Elliot Lake was supplying perhaps one third of the world’s yttrium as well as much of its thorium. This paper reviews the development of Canada’s early rare earth and thorium production facilities. INTRODUCTIONThe rare earths and thorium were first identified in the early 19th century but were little more than curiosities for the next century. However, in the mid-1960s the invention of rare earth-based phosphors for the cathode ray picture tube used in colour television sets launched a major demand for certain rare earths.The use of thorium as an alloying agent in aircraft and missiles grew rapidly in the late 1950s. In the same period, demand for uranium for both weapons and power production soared. Also in the late 1950s, the Elliot Lake uranium-thorium-rare earth deposits (also known as the Blind River deposits) were discovered. This conjugation of events led to uranium production in the Elliot Lake camp, quickly followed by the co-production of thorium and, later, the rare earths.Uranium production in the Elliot Lake camp continued from 1955 to 1996. Thorium was produced continuously from 1959 to 1969. Rare earths were produced, intermittently, from 1965 to 1990. Complete production records are not readily available but unquestionably Elliot Lake made a significant contribution to world thorium and the rare earth production. This paper, presented earlier in an abbreviated form (Goode, 2012), is intended to present as much of the information that is available."

Jan 1, 2012

By Nirmal Weerasekara

Mill liners serve the dual purpose of protecting the shell from wear and transferring the rotary motion of the mill to an effective grinding action. As the liners wear, the efficiency of energy transfer changes, so there is balance between liner profile for wear and for milling efficiency. A tool that can simultaneously predict the evolution of the liner profile and the associated change in milling efficiency should prove most useful in optimal liner design. This paper presents such an approach, based on measured 3D liner profile data informing 3D DEM simulations of charge motion and liner wear modelling.

Jan 1, 2012

By J. P. Beukes

South Africa holds approximately three-quarters of the world?s viable chromite ore resources and dominates the global production of ferrochrome. Albeit completely unintended, small amounts of Cr(VI) are formed during ferrochrome production. Certain Cr(VI)species are regarded as carcinogenic, hence making the treatment of some ferrochrome waste materials necessary. In this paper, the Cr(VI) treatment strategies currently employed by the South African ferrochrome producers are investigated by means of a literature review and a questionnaire survey. From the discussion, it is evident that various treatment strategies are available to deal with Cr(VI)-containing waste in the ferrochrome industry. However, by far the most commonly applied treatment strategy remains the aqueous reduction of Cr(VI) with ferrous iron. The advantages and the correct application of this strategy, together with the disadvantages and pitfalls, are argued. Innovative improvements on historic practices are also discussed

Jan 1, 2012

The Cadia mine is shifting from the open pit operation to the Cadia East underground block cave. The resulting increase in milled tonnes and the decrease in fines production through shifting to block caving require an increase of over 25% in installed power. This expansion is being accomplished via the installation of up-front crushing and HPGR milling of the ore, with the SAG mill receiving a secondary crushed feed. This design, criteria and rationale for selection is presented. Over the coming years, the mine will further expand capacity. The target is to accomplish this with minimal addition of installed power or use of fresh water. This presents a challenge that epitomizes the future constraints on our resource dependent and intensive industry. The approach and proposed options to this longer-term expansion are also presented.

Jan 1, 2012

By N. Hanief

This research involves the investigation of phase transformations in the platinum-chromium coated system. Single-layer 0.1 µm platinum coatings were deposited via electron beam deposition on 99.98 percent pure chromium substrates. Specimens were subjected to systematic heat treatment in a vacuum furnace at 900°C for up to 20 hours. Phase formation and the changes in surface morphology were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).Both CrPt and Cr3Pt phases are formed during heat treatment for different times at 900°C. Significant changes in the morphology of this coated system were detected after heat treatment at 900°C for 20 hours.

Jan 1, 2012

By Onuralp Yucel, Ahmet Turan, Halil Yildirim

"Nickel is mainly used in stainless steel production as ferronickel. In recent years, low grade ferronickel or nickel pig iron (NPI) is used in stainless steel production to reduce expenditure of nickel price. In this study, Turkey East Anatolian region lateritic nickel ores were directly introduced carbothermal reduction to produce NPI. Firstly the raw lateritic ore that contains 0.9% Ni, 0.054% Co and 2.3% Cr was mixed with metallurgical grade coal at different stiochometric ratios. The samples were smelted at 1600-1650 °C temperature range in an induction furnace for 25 min. In the second experimental set, different processes times were carried out from 15 to 35 min. The raw material, obtained alloys and slags were analyzed by using XRD (X-Ray Diffractometer), XRF (X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometer), AAS (Atomic Absorption Spectrometer) and EPMA (Electron Probe Micro Analyzer) techniques.IntroductionNickel is an important element that has many application areas in the industry and there are a lot of kinds of nickel products such as refined metal, powder, sponge etc. 65% of metallic nickel is used in stainless steel, 12% is consumed as superalloy and non ferrous alloy because of its superior corrosion and high temperature properties [1].Nickel is a transition metal that is mined from mainly two types of ore deposits as sulphide ores and lateritic ores. Although 73% of nickel ores are laterites, 55% of primary production is from sulphide ores [1, 2]. The importance of lateritic ores is increasing due to the increase in nickel prices and decrease in reserves of sulphide ores.There are pyrometallurgical, hydrometallurgical and combined (pyro-hydrometallurgical) methods which are used for the extraction of nickel from lateritic ores. HPAL (High temperature pressure acid leaching) is generally used to recover nickel and cobalt from laterite nickel ores. It is suitable for the plants processing ores with low magnesium oxide and aluminum oxide content. Lateritic ores are exposed to hot acidic leaching around ~250 °C to dissolve cobalt and nickel under high pressure. The main disadvantage for HPAL is the high cost of titanium autoclaves. Process is complex and difficult to control due to the high pressure and heating of the process [2, 3 and 4]."

Jan 1, 2012

By F. Rivard, M. G. Drouet, W. S. Ruff, P. Carabin

"In both the hot rotary-salt-furnace (RSF) treatment of aluminum dross and the cold ball-millsieving (BMS) treatment of zinc dross, enormous amounts of energy and recoverable metal are wasted and large amounts of greenhouse gas are produced. Such wastes and the environment pollution could be avoided by using the DROSRITE PLUS™ technology. Economic and GHG production comparisons between the presently used industrial treatment processes and DROSRITE PLUS™, supported by over one hundred tests conducted in Canada, the US and Europe, are presented. The savings, with DROSRITE PLUS™, would be about $191 and $418 per MT of aluminum and zinc dross, respectively.INTRODUCTIONDross is a material, which forms on the surface of molten non-ferrous metal, such as aluminum or zinc, during melting, metal holding and handling operations when the molten metal is in contact with a reactive atmosphere. Dross normally consists of metal oxides entraining a considerable quantity of molten free (unreacted) metal, and for economic reasons it is desirable to extract the free metal before discarding the residue. In the case of aluminum dross, recovery of the metal is usually carried out by treating the dross in a furnace at a high temperature (Peterson et al., 2002). By contrast, cold zinc dross is crushed in a ball mill followed by sieving to separate the coarse metal portion from the fine oxide residue.The conventional aluminum dross treatment process, using gas or oil-heated rotary salt furnaces (RSF), is thermally inefficient and environmentally unacceptable because of the salt slag and CO2 produced from the combustion of fossil fuels. In the past several years, a number of salt-free processes have been developed and some of these have found limited commercial use (Gripenberg et al., 1994; Lavoie et al., 1990). In all these dross treatment processes, heating of the cold dross in a rotary furnace requires an external energy input that varies between 375 and 2,500 kWh per (metric) tonne of dross. Molten metal separated during processing of the heated dross is tapped, and the remaining solid residue is discharged from the furnace."

Jan 1, 2012

By T. Patten

A method for stabilizing mercury containing waste for landfill disposal would be a very cost effective solution for industry. A mercury polythiocarbonate material which is made via a metallurgical process passes a traditional TCLP for mercury. The mercury polythiocarbonate material was subjected to a more thorough evaluation, the Integrated Leaching procedures as described in Kossan (1) and Sanchez (2)The procedure involves leaching the mercury polythiocarbonate material at varying pH and sample size to liquid. The procedure had to be adapted for small sample sizes and finely divided materials due to the product characteristics and available material. The leachates were evaluated and found to be stable within common environmental pH values. The performance details on how Inter-Mountain Labs met the leaching requirements of the procedures and the analysis of mercury are presented.

Jan 1, 2012

By Xin Wang, Hongmin Zhu, Shuqiang Jiao

"The behavior of electrochemically depositing silicon in a molten high-melting-point fluoride electrolyte was studied at 1300 °C. The cathodic product was characterized by XRD, SEM and EDS. Though the analysis of structure and composition of deposition, it could certify that silicon deposited on the Mo rod and alloyed with molybdenum. A series of tests had been performed on the cathodic behavior of Si4+ ions in BaF 2-CaF 2-Na2S iF 6 molten salt. The influence of electrochemical parameters on the cathodic deposition of silicon was also investigated. The electrochemical behavior of Si4+ ions in applied fluoride melts was observed to proceed according to one-step reaction.IntroductionGreenhouse warming has been a serious global issue. lt is increasingly urgent for clean and renewable energy. Effective utilization of clean and inexhaustible solar energy has become very important. Solar cell (especially poly-Si solar cell) production has significantly increased this decade, as there is a growing demand for clean energy. Since the early 1980s, the annual growth of the photovoltaic (PY) solar cell industry is more than 30%. More than 90% of the annual solar cell production is based on crystalline silicon wafers. This rapid growth leads to a shortage of silicon of the adequate quality and price for the continued growth of this industry [I , 2J. The most conunonly used technology to produce silicon is the so-called Siemens process. This technology, involves the forming of gaseous Si compounds such as trichlorosilane (SiHCli) or silane (SiH4) with subsequent thermal decomposition of these back to Si. This technology is associated with transformations from solid to gas, and then back to solid phase, which lead to high irreversible thermodynamic losses and subsequent high energy consumption, the energy cost being around 200kWh/kg Si [3l_ The purity of the material from this process is very high (9 to 11 N). In general, what is needed for solar cell purposes are reported to require 4 to 6 N quality. To promote continued growth of the silicon-based PY industry, there is need for a low-energy silicon production process which can produce large amounts of silicon with an acceptable quality and a lower price particularly."

Jan 1, 2012

By M. Royker

Gold has been demonstrated as a possible catalyst for oxidation reactions. Some evidence for a possible promotion effect of platinum has also been recorded. The influence of platinum as promoter for Au/?-Al2O3 prepared via anionic ion-exchange for the oxidation of glycerol was investigated in a batch reactor at 60°C. It is inferred that the addition of platinum reduces the catalytic activity and therate of deactivation, resulting in an overall higher final conversion of glycerol with increasing platinum loading. The addition of platinum to the catalyst favours the formation of the desired product, glyceric acid.

Jan 1, 2012

By Xuyang Liu, Xuewei Lv, Chenguang Bai, Meilong Hu

"The electro-deoxidation process for ilmenite concentrate in molten salt was studied by cyclic voltammetry and AC impedance spectroscopy. The results from cyclic voltammetry are consistent with those of AC impedance spectroscopy. The results showed that the electro-deoxidation process for ilmenite concentrate consists of two steps. In the first step, Fe is reduced from the ilmenite concentrate. The second reaction is the decomposition of TiCh. CaTiCh is an intermediate product. At low voltage, the electrochemical reaction is the main step. With the increasing potential, the diffusion of ion is the main rate controlling step for the electro-deoxidation of FeTiO3.IntroductionTitania and titanium-rich products are mainly prepared from ilmenite concentrates (FeTi03), which contain about 40%-60% T1O2 after ore dressing and other physical or chemical processes [1]. At present, the main methods to prepare titania are the sulfuric acid process and the chloride process, but the sulfuric acid process consumes a large amount of sulfuric acid and the materials requirements for the chloride process are strict [2], Since the Electro-Deoxidization in Molten Salt (FFC) method was put forward in 2000, many researchers have successfully extracted the metal and alloys by this method, such as Ti, Cr, Tb, Si, Al-Si, TiV, FeTi, etc. [3-7], FeTi alloy is a typical hydrogen storage material, and because of its favorable properties, the preparation of FeTi alloy has become a hot research topic [7-9]. However, the mechanism of electro-deoxidization has not been studied thoroughly [10-11]. Therefore, in this study, the electro-deoxidation process for titanium concentrate was investigated by electrochemical methods, and the study makes a contribution to improving the current efficiency of the electrolysis."

Jan 1, 2012

By N. R. Green, N. J. Humphreys, D. McBride, T. N. Croft, M. Cross, D. M. Shevchenko

"Centrifugal casting offers a route to high quality products in difficult to cast high temperature low superheat alloys and thin section molds. Under centrifugal forces metal is forced into thin sections and can fill thicknesses of less than a millimeter. However, due to the high liquid metal velocities there is a high risk of surface turbulent flow and air entrainment within the liquid metal. The combination of interacting flow-thermal-solidification phenomena and associated defects is a challenging modeling task which the authors have previously described and validated. Capturing the metal-air interface, on what are inevitably complex three dimensional geometries, results in highly computationally expensive simulations and simulating a single cast can take weeks on a single processor. This contribution reports on modeling a complex centrifugal cast, gas entrainment, bubble transport and solidification, employing meshes of up to a million elements and investigates the scalability of the model on high performance clusters.Introduction The ultimate goal of any casting procedure is to produce a defect-free product. For difficult to cast alloys, such as Titanium, centrifugal casting has a number of advantage over conventional gravity methods [1]. In the casting of thin sections, such as turbine blades, the metal is forced into the thin sections under centrifugal forces. The centrifugal force can overcome the backpressure due to surface tension and the metal can fill mould sections with thicknesses substantially less than a millimeter. However, the materials used in these castings [2] tend to be highly reactive and requires low superheat. High liquid metal velocity gives rise to a high risk of free surface turbulent flow and of associated entrainment through free surface turbulence [3] and trapping of gas present in the flow [1]."

Jan 1, 2012

By C. D. Anderson, C. G. Anderson, P. R. Taylor

"Rare Earths have become critical for our energy and materials driven society. While primary production must ramp up to fill growing demands, the recycle of these strategic elements must also be initiated. This paper will outline the potentials of and metallurgical technologies employed for Rare Earths recycle from various secondary sources.INTRODUCTIONWhen investigating the recovery of rare earths from secondary sources it is necessary to understand the nature of the sources to be processed. As of 2009, the USGS reports the distribution of rare earths by end use, in decreasing order, was: chemical catalysts 22%, metallurgical applications and alloys 21%, petroleum refining catalysts 14%, automotive catalytic converters 13%, glass polishing and ceramics 9%, rare earth phosphors for computer monitors, lighting, televisions 8%, permanent magnets 7%, electronics 3%, and others 3% (USGS, 2011). Additionally, it is reported that the amount of recycling was quite small and consisted primarily of rare earth magnet scrap, although with the sharp increase in the price of rare earths, and the potential shortage in supply, focus in this area is continually growing. Thus, the opportunities, whether realistic or not, are extremely vast in the recycling of rare earth containing materials. The following subsections will present methods proposed for the recycling of rare earths based on the feed material type.RECYCLING OF RARE EARTH MAGNETSCurrently, investigations are ongoing in the area of recycling production scrap and end-of-life materials in the rare earth magnet industry. The following techniques illustrate potential methods for the recovery of rare earths from secondary RE magnet sources.Recycling of Rare Earth Magnet Sludge by Selective ChlorinationDuring the production of neodymium magnets, a by-product of production is the so called “magnetic sludge”. This by-product contains high amounts of neodymium, thus a process for the recovery of Nd has been proposed. In this process the Nd present is selectively chlorinated/distilled by the addition FeCl2 via the following reactions."

Jan 1, 2012

By I. Donohue, M. Pearson, E. Barrette

"This paper presents the technique and benefits of the finite element approach for designing the refractory lining in pressure oxidation autoclaves. One-dimensional equations are used to develop an initial refractory design. ANSYS Parametric Design Language (APDL) scripts are then used to build and analyse a more accurate three-dimensional finite element model to verify the refractory thickness, determine weld overlay requirements, and assess mechanical stability. The APDL scripts provide a cost effective means to quickly evaluate various boundary conditions and multiple designs to determine the optimal lining configuration and nozzle layout.INTRODUCTIONNew ore processing facilities demand increased capacity, requiring hydrometallurgy processes that have larger reactor vessels operating at higher pressure and temperature. Many pressure hydrometallurgy operations require vessels with an impermeable membrane and one or more courses of refractory or ceramic brick. The membrane provides corrosion protection for the vessel shell and the brick provides thermal protection for the membrane. Designing a refractory lining with an economic service life as a thermal barrier requires the refractory to be erosion resistant, chemically compatible with the process fluid, and mechanically stable. A fundamental understanding of the factors affecting the lining system is essential as designs move further away from the industry’s experience base.During basic engineering the refractory lining design is developed using one dimensional cylindrical conduction equations for heat transfer and classical hoop stress-strain relationships for determining mechanical stability. The results of the thermal calculations specify the refractory thickness that should prevent the membrane temperature from exceeding the design limit. Mechanical stability of the lining is determined by examining the sensitivity of lining stability with respect to various parameters. There are three criteria that must be satisfied to conclude mechanical lining stability:"

Jan 1, 2012

By Shun Fujieda, Shigeru Suzuki, Kozo Shinoda, Tetsuo Fujita

"Dowa Metals & Mining Co. Ltd. has developed and plant-practiced a unique scorodite synthesis technology (DMSP®) for arsenic immobilization by oxidizing Fe(ll) ions in the presence of As(V) ions. Dowa has improved the DMSP® technology and has developed the process extensively for other applications. This paper focuses on the applicability of the DMSP® for various cases of copper smelting, and introduces other technologies for fixing arsenic and recycling gallium from GaAs, simultaneously processing (fixing) arsenic and thallium, and fixing and recovering arsenic from dilute arsenic solutions. The DMSP® was found to be applicable not only for various processes in nonferrous smelting, but also for other applications with a high potential for reducing environmental problems.IntroductionDowa Metals & Mining Co. Ltd. developed a method for synthesizing scorodite at ambient pressure [1], The scorodite is precipitated by oxidizing Fe(II) ion in a high-concentration As(V) solution. The scorodite produced in this way does not readily release arsenic because of its high crystallinity. Dowa built a demonstration plant for this technology at the Kosaka Smelter and established the production of scorodite at 30 t As/month by treating intermediate products from copper smelting as the starting material. The DMSP® was demonstrated to be favorably applicable to copper smelting [2]. We are engaged in further increasing the amount of arsenic fixation by the use of this process. Further improvements in productivity, cost reduction and applicability in various processes have been devised. Dowa has been endeavoring to resolve other problems as well as to improve productivity. We have gained extensive knowledge on arsenic treatment in our endeavors, enabling us to solve problems and improve productivity. This paper introduces the investigations and developments related to DMSP®."

Jan 1, 2012

By Wellington Pereira Inácio, Frederico Muylaert Margem, Artur Camposo Pereira, Sergio Neves

"Natural fibers are currently gaining attention as reinforcement of polymer composites for uses in engineering parts for automobile and building construction. In spite of environmental, economical and societal advantages, the natural lignocellulosic fibers are not as uniform in their dimension and properties as compared to synthetic. In recent works it was found that the variation in strength could be correlate to the equivalent diameters for several lignocellulosic fibers including the sisal fibers. In the present work an investigation on a possible correlation of the equivalent diameter with changes in density and elastic modulus was carried out. Precise measurements of the equivalent diameter, conducted in a profile projector, were correlated with the density and the elastic modulus by means of the Weibull statistic analysis. The results showed that an inverse correlation with the diameter also applies for both the density and the elastic modulus with a high degree of precision. SEM observation of the sisal fiber in structure and fracture aspects strongly indicate that defects and microfibril participation could be responsible for the inverse correlation.IntroductionAccording to Kalia [1], cellulose-based fibers are currently being pushed owing to their ""green"" image. Contrary to synthetic glass fiber, extensively used in our modem technology, these lignocellulosic fibers are renewable and can be incinerated at the end of the material's lifetime without adding pollution in the atmosphere moreover, the amount of CO2 released during incineration process is negligible as compared to the corresponding amount taken up by the plant throughout its lifetime. Even if an industrial processing equivalent of C02 release is added, the lignocellulosic fiber is considered neutral with respect to the emission of gases responsible for the global warming [2]."

Jan 1, 2012

By R. E. Mitchell

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is the accepted method for evaluating proposed mining and other industrial projects to obtain regulatory approval and to help companies plan for responsible development. Another evaluation system becoming increasingly more common for proposed projects is the Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA). An ESHIA differs from an EIA for its more comprehensive and inclusive approach to evaluate potential impacts on public health, and its ecosystem services approach to assessing biodiversity impacts. An ESHIA may also be required by certain lenders for financing major projects. Conducting an ESHIA for a proposed mining development is not without its challenges, with costs, scheduling, regulatory concordance and other constraints to be considered. This paper examines some benefits and challenges of ESHIAs and summarizes lessons learned using a case study approach.

Jan 1, 2012

By Y. Rajpal

The Hedley and Grant pillar strength formula is widely used within the South African mining industry to calculate pillar strengths in bord and pillar mining layouts, and is currently being used at Bathopele Mine. Bathopele is an operation of Anglo American Platinum near Rustenburg, mining the UG2 reef at depths ranging from 40 m to 300 m below surface. The formula includes a parameter K, which is a downrated uniaxial compressive strength value of the rock, used to calculate the strength of a pillar. At Bathopele Mine, for the shallower areas Less than 150 m the value was 33 MPa, but this was increased to 44 MPa due to the fact that rock mass conditions improved and there were no incidence of failure in the shallower areas. Underground observations showed pillars to be stable with no signs of failure, and it was questioned whether the design was not still too conservative, resulting in sub-optimal extraction ratios and consequently a loss of revenue to the mine. A trial mining section was started at the mine where the pillars were reduced from 6 m x 6 m to 5 m x 5 m and the pillar behaviour was monitored for the onset of failure. Numerical modelling was conducted using the TEXAN code to back-analyse pillar stresses in order to find a more realistic value for K. Results from the trial section indicated that the pillar design was in fact too conservative, and the value for K was adjusted to 54 MPa for future designs. This paper details the findings from underground monitoring and numerical modelling results, and includes details for further calibration of the K value in order to further optimize the extraction of the orebody.

Jan 1, 2012

By F. Habashi

"A short account will be presented on the extraction of rare earths from monazite sand, bastnasite ore, and phosphate rock of igneous origin. This includes mineral beneficiation, leaching methods, fractional crystallization [of historical interest], ion exchange, solvent extraction, precipitation from solution, and reduction to metals. INTRODUCTIONOriginally, the term rare earths was only used for the oxides, R2O3, which are similar to one other in their chemical and physical properties and are therefore difficult to separate. Within the rare earth group, the elements scandium, yttrium, and lanthanum differ in their atomic structure from the elements cerium to lutetium (the lanthanides, Ln). Scandium occupies a special position with respect to this classification and its other properties, and therefore does not belong to either of these groups. The rare earth elements always occur in nature in association with each other. The isolation of groups of rare earth elements or of individual elements requires costly separation and fractionation processes owing to the great similarity of the chemical and physical properties of their compounds, which explains why the history of their discovery has extended over such a long period.The word “rare”, when used to describe this group of elements, originates from the fact it was thought that these elements could only be isolated from very rare minerals. Considering their abundance in the Earth’s crust, the term rare is now inappropriate. These elements are lithophilic and are therefore concentrated in oxidic compounds such as carbonates, silicates, titano-tantalo-niobates, and phosphates.The abundance of the rare earth elements taken together is quite considerable. Cerium, the most common rare earth, is more abundant than cobalt. Yttrium is more abundant than lead, whereas Lu and Tm are as abundant as Sb, Hg, Bi, and Ag. For all practical purposes promethium does not occur in nature. It forms only in nuclear reactors."

Jan 1, 2012