Abstract
Nuclear techniques are applied for exploration and efficient tapping of natural resources in finding promising resources of mining and mineral processing industries. The rare earth elements (REEs) in four fluorite samples, collected from Nuba Mountains are determined using neutron activation analysis (NAA) technique. The concentration of 11 REEs (Sc, La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Tb, Yb, Lu) was measured and found within ranges between 685 and 1747 ppm. The Ca is a major element in the four samples. The Fe, Al, Na, Ba and Sr are found as minor elements in the investigated samples. In addition, tracer levels of U, Th, Cs, V and Sc are also detected. The signature of Ce, La and Nd as light REEs is characterized in all samples under this study. The enrichment types of light-REEs (L-type), medium-REEs (M-type) and several distinct features of some REEs e.g., Ce and Eu anomalies are identified and described as the signature of REEs in the geochemical samples. These results have demonstrated promising materials that could be used for hydrometallurgy processing to get significant amounts of REEs.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to express special thanks to Prof. Dr. S. M. Qaim, the Editor-in-chief of Radiochimica Acta, for his valuable efforts and comments to improve our paper. The authors are extended appreciation and thanks express their gratitude to the crew of second Egyptian Nuclear Research Reactor (ETRR-2) at the EAEA for their valuable assistance in the course of activation of the studied samples in due time.
Author contributions: All the authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this submitted manuscript and approved submission.
Research funding: None declared.
Conflict of interest statement: The authors declare no conflicts of interest regarding this article.
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