Discovery of ion-adsorption type deposits of rare earth elements (REE) in Southwest Japan with speciation of REE by extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

Yamaguchi, Akiko*  ; Honda, Tasuku*; Tanaka, Masato*; Tanaka, Kazuya  ; Takahashi, Yoshio*

Ion-adsorption type REE deposits in weathered granite are main sources of REE essential for high-technology industries. However, these type deposits have not been searched in Japan. In this study, Bulk REE abundances (= REE), ion-exchangeable REE (= REE) by ammonium chloride solution, and percentage of REE relative to REE (= REE) in fresh and weathered granite samples in Southwest Japan (i.e., Hiroshima and Shimane Prefectures) were determined. The REE and REE were comparable to those of ion-adsorption type REE deposits in China. Extended X-ray adsorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectra of REE in original samples and samples after the extraction of ion-exchangeable REE showed that (i) REE in samples with high REE mainly forms outer-sphere complexes and (ii) the remaining REE in the rocks after the extraction forms inter-sphere complexes.