Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the North Atlantic Ocean

Menendez, Amaya; James, Rachael H.; Roberts, Stephen; Peel, Kate; Connelly, Douglas P.

doi:10.1016/j.oregeorev.2016.09.036

Cited by 58 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…These experimental results and modelling confirm previous views on the beneficiation potential of deep-sea sediments potential as a REY resource (Kato et al, 2011, Fujimoto et al, 2016, Menendez et al, 2017 as well as red-mud-or coal-processing residue (Qu and Lian, 2013, Rozelle et al, 2016a considered as raw polymetallic materials. These results expand the list of potential REY resource available by integrating oceanic hydrothermal metalliferous deposits preserved on-land.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…These wastes constitute a low-grade resource with economically significant tonnage due to the importance and spread of the coal and aluminium industries (Goodenough et al, 2016). Other alternative sources, include sea-floor deposits such as ferromanganese nodules (Fujimoto et al, 2016), hydrogenetic crusts, and marine clays (Kato et al, 2011, Menendez et al, 2017 that can have significant REY concentrations (Hein et al, 2013).…”

Section: Solvent Extraction Constitutes the Most Common Treatment Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Extraction and separation of rare earth elements from hydrothermal metalliferous sediments

Josso

Roberts

Teagle

et al. 2018

Minerals Engineering

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Rare earth elements (REE) can be efficiently extracted from umbers, ferromanganese metalliferous sediments of the Troodos ophiolite (Cyprus) by simple leaching and selective precipitation, without accumulation of radioactive by-products. Umbers are dominantly composed of amorphous Fe and Mn oxides with minor goethite, quartz and zeolites, and contain 350-500 mg.kg-1 of rare earth elements and yttrium (REY), 200 times lower than many of the major REY source ores. To compensate for relatively low grades, a cost-effective extraction process was developed that utilises a weak lixiviant concentration (0.1-1.5 N) and short reaction times (5 min to 11 h). Acid solutions recover 70-85% of the initial sample REY content even at 20 °C. By contrast, extraction using ionic solutions of NaCl and ammonium sulphate proved ineffective. Acid recoveries of REY increase by nearly 10% at 70 °C and the use of different acids (HCl, HNO3, H2SO4) yields comparable results. The main impurities in the leachate include Ca and Na at even the weakest acid concentration (0.1 N). However, two-step leaching method greatly reduces concentrations of impurities in the REY-rich liquor, although with REY losses approaching 20%. Purification of the leach liquor via selective precipitation of REY as an oxalate is highly efficient although pH dependent. With maximum REY precipitation (96-99%) occurring between pH 1 and 2, the precise adjustment of pH allows separation of REY from other precipitating impurities (Ca). The maximum purity of the precipitate is achieved at pH 1.1 (> 65%). Strong and consistent fractionation along the lanthanide series observed during the precipitation experiments has been successfully explained using a speciation modelling software (PHREEQC). The uptake of REY by oxalate in the experiments closely follows the bell-shape distribution of REY-oxalate solid complexes stability constant (-log β (RE2Ox3.nH2O)) replicating the fractionation trends observed at pH < 1.1. In addition, the modelling demonstrates that at equivalent REE concentration in solution, oxalate precipitates fractionate REY in the following order: middle REE > light REE >> heavy REE. This ordering and the variable degrees of uptake reflects the interplay of aqueous REY-oxalate complexes (log HOxβ1, Oxβ1 and Oxβ2) with the natural fractionation induced by solid REY-oxalate stability constant distribution. Overall, the combined leaching process and selective oxalate precipitation produces a total enrichment factor ranging between 1400 and 2400 for REY from the sample to the oxalate precipitate in a simple twostep process forming a high-purity end-product of mixed REY.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Solvent Extraction Constitutes the Most Common Treatment Of mentioning

confidence: 99%

Extraction and separation of rare earth elements from hydrothermal metalliferous sediments

Josso

Roberts

Teagle

et al. 2018

Minerals Engineering

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“…The deeper pelagic clays characterized by low permeability and superior adsorption abilities for REEs 74 , largely absorbed REEs from shallow porewater. Meanwhile, the low sedimentation rate is favorable for REE enrichment because the ΣREE of sediments is mainly controlled by REE scavenging processes from seawater to sediments 75 . The age of sediments should be no older than Cenozoic, and the sedimentation rate is lower than 0.5 m/m.y.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rare earth element geochemistry characteristics of seawater and porewater from deep sea in western Pacific

Deng

Ren

Guo

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

168

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Deep-sea sediments contain high concentrations of rare earth element (REE) which have been regarded as a huge potential resource. Understanding the marine REE cycle is important to reveal the mechanism of REE enrichment. In order to determine the geochemistry characteristics and migration processes of REE, seawater, porewater and sediment samples were systematically collected from the western Pacific for REE analysis. The results show a relatively flat REE pattern and the HREE (Heavy REE) enrichment in surface and deep seawater respectively. The HREE enrichment distribution patterns, low concentrations of Mn and Fe and negative Ce anomaly occur in the porewater, and high Mn/Al ratios and low U concentrations were observed in sediment, indicating oxic condition. LREE (Light REE) and MREE (Middle REE) enrichment in upper layer and depletion of MREE in deeper layer were shown in porewater profile. This study suggests that porewater flux in the western Pacific basin is a minor source of REEs to seawater, and abundant REEs are enriched in sediments, which is mainly caused by the extensive oxic condition, low sedimentation rate and strong adsorption capacity of sediments. Hence, the removal of REEs of porewater may result in widespread REE-rich sediments in the western Pacific basin.

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“…REY-rich mud has comparable total REY (ΣREY) and total HREE (ΣHREE) contents as the ion-absorption-type ore deposits in southern China. It is found distributed widely in the eastern South and central North Pacific (Kato et al, 2011;Sa et al, 2018), and in some areas in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans (Menendez et al, 2017;Yasukawa et al, 2014Yasukawa et al, , 2015Zhang et al, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Statistic and Isotopic Characterization of Deep‐Sea Sediments in the Western North Pacific Ocean: Implications for Genesis of the Sediment Extremely Enriched in Rare Earth Elements

Yasukawa

Ohta

Miyazaki

et al. 2019

Geochem Geophys Geosyst

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A certain type of deep‐sea sediment exhibits very high content of rare earth elements and yttrium (REY) and is therefore expected to serve as a novel resource for these industrially essential metals. In this paper, we statistically analyzed the bulk chemical composition of deep‐sea sediments collected from the western North Pacific Ocean. By applying independent component analysis to the multielemental data set, we extracted three independent components (ICs) that can be interpreted as the influence of Mn‐oxides (IC1), REY‐enriched biogenic calcium phosphate (IC2), and possibly a diagenetic effect involving Cu enrichment (IC3) on bulk sediment geochemistry. Subsequently, we selected representative samples based on the independent component analysis result, and implemented Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic analyses of bulk sediments. The results indicate that the extremely REY‐rich mud characterized by IC2 inherits the geochemical signature of deep Pacific seawater, whereas the non‐REY‐rich mud with less diagenetic alterations, characterized by IC3, implies an influence of terrigenous dust probably from the Taklimakan desert–Chinese loess plateau. IC1 may reflect the variation in sedimentation rates. Characteristic downhole variations of IC1 and IC3 scores imply the presence of hiatus and/or erosion of the sediment column across the REY content peak. The putative cause is an enhanced bottom current, which can physically separate coarse biogenic calcium phosphate grains with very high REY content and thus produce an extremely REY‐enriched sediment layer.

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Controls on the distribution of rare earth elements in deep-sea sediments in the North Atlantic Ocean

Cited by 58 publications

References 57 publications

Extraction and separation of rare earth elements from hydrothermal metalliferous sediments

Extraction and separation of rare earth elements from hydrothermal metalliferous sediments

Rare earth element geochemistry characteristics of seawater and porewater from deep sea in western Pacific

Statistic and Isotopic Characterization of Deep‐Sea Sediments in the Western North Pacific Ocean: Implications for Genesis of the Sediment Extremely Enriched in Rare Earth Elements

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