The genesis of regolith-hosted rare earth element and scandium deposits: Current understanding and outlook to future prospecting

Zhou, Mei‐Fu; Li, Martin Yan Hei; Wang, Zhenchao; Li, Xiaochun; Liu, Jiacheng

doi:10.1360/tb-2020-0350

Cited by 34 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Descriptive statistical analysis was then performed on the remaining data to obtain the corresponding statistical parameters (Tables 2 and 3). Williams-Jones, 2020; Zhou et al, 2020). The soil in the study area was generally acidic, with an average pH of 5.50, which was lower than the background pH of the soil in Sichuan Province (6.60).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 89%

“…In addition to the leaching and deposition of elements during the weathering process, this phenomenon was inferred to be related to the adsorption and desorption of clay minerals in the soil profile. Previous studies have shown that clay minerals in the upper part of the weathering crust are dominated by desorption, and the lower part is dominated by adsorption (Li & Zhou, 2020; Li, Zhou, & Williams‐Jones, 2020; Zhou et al, 2020). The soil in the study area was generally acidic, with an average pH of 5.50, which was lower than the background pH of the soil in Sichuan Province (6.60).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Spatial distribution and ecological risk assessment of heavy metal elements in rock‐soil in the mountainous areas of Southwest China: A case study of Xichang

Liu

et al. 2023

Geological Journal

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This study employs the Muller geological accumulation index method and the Hakanson risk assessment method in combination with ArcGIS technology to assess the potential heavy metal pollution in soil. The study aims to investigate the geochemical characteristics, pollution degree, and potential ecological risks associated with soil heavy metal element content and distribution across various geological formations. The concentrations of eight heavy metals, namely Cu, Cd, Ni, Pb, Zn, Hg, As, and Cr, were analysed by collecting samples of the soil layer, parent material layer, and parent rock layer. The proportions of samples with different risk levels are accurately calculated to locate areas with high pollution risks. The findings are as follows: Firstly, the soil pH value in the study area is low, and the Cd and Cr concentrations are 1.38 and 1.20 times the background concentrations in soil in Sichuan Province, respectively. Moreover, Cu, Cd, Ni, Zn, and Cr concentrations are 1.23, 1.10, 1.20, 1.10, and 1.55 times the background concentrations in soil in China. Secondly, the distribution of heavy metal elements varies across different geological formation units, and the heavy metal contents of different samples from the same formation also varies significantly. The concentrations of heavy metal elements are influenced by different geological formations, with the pedogenic parent rock in the soil determining the initial concentrations of heavy metal elements. Thirdly, the spatial distribution of heavy metal elements indicates a good spatial distribution coupling relationship among the soil layer, parent material layer, and rock layer. The study suggests that the contents of the eight heavy metal elements in the soil inherited the characteristics of the parent material to a large extent and are influenced and controlled by the pedogenic parent rock (geological formation). Finally, the evaluation results reveal that all eight heavy metal elements exhibit moderate pollution, with a relatively large distribution area exhibiting moderate Cd, Hg, and As pollution and above. The overall study area exhibits a mild potential ecological risk level, with some areas at a moderate potential ecological risk level, distributed in patches across the study area. Cd and Hg exhibit relatively high potential ecological risks. The potential ecological risks of heavy metals are relatively high in the JKms and Tss units. While the overall quality of the soil in the study area is good, heavy metal pollution and potential ecological risks of some elements are still above ideal levels.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 89%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial distribution and ecological risk assessment of heavy metal elements in rock‐soil in the mountainous areas of Southwest China: A case study of Xichang

Liu

et al. 2023

Geological Journal

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“…The intense erosion chemically decomposes and releases Sc from the protolith ore, although the most favourable rock in forming Sc deposits is represented by ultramafic and felsic rocks. In water, a significant amount of Sc can influence and alter human health, causing fever, gastroenteritis and viral hepatitis [ 73 ]. The mean concentration of Rb was 2.69 µg/L.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemical Assessment of Drinking Water Quality and Associated Human Health Risk of Heavy Metals in Gutai Mountains, Romania

Dippong,

Resz

2024

Toxics

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Chemical data compiled from field and laboratory studies were analysed on drinking water sources from a mountain area (Gutai Mountains) in Romania. Six physico-chemical indicators, nine anions, and twenty-one metals were determined and analysed. The results of this study showed that waters are generally rich in NH4+ and NO2−, exceeding the recommended limit of 0.5 mg NH4+/L, while some waters are rich in As, Cd, Mn and Pb, but with concentrations below the limits concerning the use of waters with drinking purposes. The applied heavy metal pollution indices (scores: 0.56–47.9) indicate that more than 50% of samples are characterized by medium pollution degrees. Based on the results obtained, it was determined that geological and human activities were influential in enriching the studied waters with the chemicals considered. Emphasizing this aspect related to pollution sources and the importance of a clean chemical status that must characterize waters used for drinking purposes, a human health risk assessment for heavy metals was implemented. The results indicated that even though the studied waters are rich in heavy metals, scores related to the risk assessment of heavy metals indicated a lack of non-carcinogenic risks for As, Mn, Cd and Cu. Nevertheless, this study and the results obtained are significant at national and international levels by offering a perspective on determining the potential pollution and associated human health risks at heavy metals in drinking water sources from a mountain area.

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“…scandium, yttrium, and 15 lanthanoids) are finding increasing use in modern high-tech industries such as electronics manufacture, green energy technologies, and military applications (Chakhmouradian and Wall, 2012;Williams-Jones and Vasyukova, 2018) and they have been classified as strategic and critical elements worldwide (Haxel, 2002;Gulley et al, 2018;Zhai et al, 2019). Among different REEs deposits, regolith-hosted deposits have received significant attention due to the enrichment and ease of extraction of high-value elements (Zhou et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…AIMD method has proven to be powerful in quantifying the structural and thermodynamical properties of mineral-cation interactions (Alexandrov and Rosso, 2015;Kubicki, 2016;Leung et al, 2018;Liu et al, 2022). We determined the complexation structures and the associated free energy changes of Sc 3+ on montmorillonite (010) edge and made comparison with Y 3+ .Y 3+ is enriched in IADs in South China (Zhou et al, 2020) and here it is selected as an example of heavy REEs. The complexation free energies of Sc 3+ and Y 3+ on (010) surface were calculated using the method of constraint.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding the unique geochemical behavior of Sc in the interaction with clay minerals

Zhang,

Liu,

et al. 2024

American Mineralogist

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Regolith-hosted rare earth elements (REEs) deposits received great attention due to the increasing incorporation of REEs in modern technologies. In lateritic Sc deposits and ion-adsorption deposits (IADs), Sc behaves quite differently from other REEs: REEs adsorb as outer-sphere complexes on clay surface in IADs while Sc could enter the lattice of clay minerals in lateritic Sc deposits. The unique behavior of Sc has not been well understood yet. Here, by using first-principles molecular dynamics techniques, we show that the complexation mechanisms of Y 3+ and Sc 3+ on clay edge surfaces are distinctly different. Y 3+ preferentially adsorbs on Al(OH) 2 SiO site with its coordination water protonated. Sc 3+ is found to behave similarly to other first-row transition metals (e.g. Ni 2+ ) due to its smaller ionic radius and prefers adsorbing on the vacancy site, from where Sc 3+ can be readily incorporated in the clay lattice. The H 2 O ligands of Sc 3+ get deprotonated upon complexation, providing new binding sites for further enrichment of Sc 3+ . These processes prevent Sc 3+ from being leached during weathering and lead to the formation of Sc-rich clay minerals found in lateritic deposits. Based on these results, it is revealed that the small ionic radius and high affinity to enter the vacancy on edge surfaces make Sc compatible with clay minerals and are the origin of its unique geochemical behavior.

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The genesis of regolith-hosted rare earth element and scandium deposits: Current understanding and outlook to future prospecting

Abstract: Big data and the future of urban ecology: From the concept to results SCIENCE CHINA Earth Sciences 63, 1443 (2020); Advances of stimuli-responsive rare earth-based smart luminescent materials in optical encoding and bio-applications

Cited by 34 publications

References 42 publications

Spatial distribution and ecological risk assessment of heavy metal elements in rock‐soil in the mountainous areas of Southwest China: A case study of Xichang

Spatial distribution and ecological risk assessment of heavy metal elements in rock‐soil in the mountainous areas of Southwest China: A case study of Xichang

Chemical Assessment of Drinking Water Quality and Associated Human Health Risk of Heavy Metals in Gutai Mountains, Romania

Understanding the unique geochemical behavior of Sc in the interaction with clay minerals

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