rare earth elements in Wyoming

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table 4. Prices of REO ($US/kg) raw materials from 2000 to 2012, from a variety of sources. [FOB ex-China indicates that price includes Chinese export taxes and other fees.] Oxide Dec. 2012e Oxide Jan. 2012e Oxide FOB ex-China Nov. 21, 2011c Oxide FOB ex-China Q3, 2011c Oxide FOB ex-China Q2, 2011c Oxide FOB ex-China 2010c Oxide FOB ex-China Aug.5, 2010d Oxide FOB ex-China Jan.5, 2010d Oxide FOB ex-China 2009c Oxide FOB ex-China 2008c Oxide FOB ex-China 2007c Oxide 2006b Element/ Mineral Oxide 2000a lanthanum 23.00 1.45 3.44 8.71 4.88 5.60 33.50 22.40 135.02 117.68 65.00 cerium 19.20 3.04 4.56 3.88 4.15 33.00 21.60 138.29 118.65 55.00 praseodymium 36.80 29.05 29.48 18.03 21.50 54.50 48.00 220.08 244.73 210.00 neodymium 28.50 30.24 31.90 19.12 22.50 55.25 49.50 256.15 338.85 240.00 195.00 80.00 promethium --samarium 360.00 3.60 5.20 3.40 3.95 31.80 14.40 125.60 129.45 90.00 europium 990.00 260.00 323.90 481.92 492.92 485.00 590.00 559.80 1830.00 4900.00 3800.00 gadolinium 130.00 6.75 40.00 terbium 535.00 455.00 590.40 720.77 361.67 365.00 605.00 557.80 1659.20 3761.54 2820.00 dysprosium 120.00 89.10 118.49 115.67 117.25 286.50 231.60 921.20 2262.31 2020.00 holmium 440.00 erbium 155.00 thulium 2500.00 ytterbium 230.00 lutetium 3500.00 yttrium 88.00 10.25 34.50 bastnasite 5.51 monazite 0.73 REOf 11.59 14.87 10.32 31.35 173.20 193.21 122.45 10 a From Hedrick (2002) b From Northern Miner (2008) c From Lynas Corporation, Ltd (2011) d From Rare Earth miner MCP (2010) e From U.S. Geological Survey (2013) f Avg. Mt. Weld, Aust. REE composition
Extraction of rEE Aside from generally low concentrations of REE in their host rocks and minerals, the cost of separation of the individual elements is quite high compared to other metals. REE ores are mineralogically and chemically complex, and are often radioactive (Long, Van Gosen, Foley, and Cordier, 2010). Because of their similar chemical properties, individual REE are difficult to isolate by ordinary metallurgical means. Therefore, separation is a long and complex process that involves multiple and repetitive steps in solvent extraction and/or ion exchange. Other extraction methods may involve iterative fractional crystallization, fusion, volitization, or a combination of selective reduction and vacuum distillation of halides (Hedrick, 1985; Uda and others, 2000). The presence of two or more mineral phases in many deposits requires a different extraction technology for each mineral, compounding both complexity and cost (Long, Van Gosen, Foley, and Cordier, 2010). The cost of building a plant to separate the individual REE is also high and must be tailored to the unique mineralogy of a specific ore. Construction of a new mine, with attached separation plant, was estimated in 2010 to cost between $500 million and $1 billion (Hsu, 2010), with a lead time up to 15 years for full-capacity completion (Long, Van Gosen, Foley, and Cordier, 2010; Hsu, 2010). General Geology of rEE Awareness of the diversity of REE deposit types is beneficial to exploration efforts. Economically exploitable concentrations of REE are primarily derived from crystalline igneous rocks (Long, Van Gosen, and Johnson, 2010). REE are more common in alkaline igneous rocks and carbonatites than in mafic rocks (Long, Van Gosen, Foley, and Cordier, 2010). REE typically occur as trivalent cations in rock-forming minerals in carbonates, oxides, phosphates, and silicates (Hedrick, 2004). REE are chemically similar to thorium and are often found in minerals and rocks in association with thorium (Hedrick and Templeton, 1990). Economic concentrations of REE host minerals are known from alkaline igneous rocks, carbonatites, 11 and from a wide variety of dikes and veins that cross-cut alkaline intrusions and surrounding rocks (Long, Van Gosen, Foley, and Cordier, 2010). Sedimentary rocks that may preferentially contain REE include phosphatic rocks, coarse clastic rocks, and shales (Hedrick, 1985). Phosphate deposits may be sources for yttrium and lanthanum (Long, Van Gosen, and Johnson, 2010). Sediments derived from host rocks that contain even small amounts of REE-bearing minerals may produce both placer and paleoplacer concentrations. Ion-adsorption clays, or laterites, developed as residuum from chemical weathering, may be enriched in REE from intensive leaching of igneous and other rocks. Economic REE concentrations in ion-adsorption clays, are known from southern China and Kazakhstan (Long, Van Gosen, Foley, and Cordier, 2010). Such clays tend to have a greater enrichment in HREE than other deposit types (Hedrick, 2004). rEE Minerals Numerous minerals are known to contain REE as essential constituents, and a greater number contain REE as accessory elements. However, only a few of these minerals host large enough concentrations of REE to be considered ore minerals (Hedrick, 1985). Worldwide, the principal commercial sources of REE are the minerals bastnasite, loparite, monazite, and xenotime, and rare-earth ion-adsorption clays (Hedrick, 2004). When discussing principal REE-bearing minerals only in the United States, Long, Van Gosen, Foley, and Cordier (2010) omit loparite and ion adsorption clays, but add euxenite and allanite, although other REE-bearing minerals are also present. Table 5 lists minerals reported in Wyoming that contain REE. Of the principal REEbearing minerals, allanite, bastnasite, euxenite, monazite, and xenotime are known to occur in Wyoming (King and Harris, 2002). Mineral formulas shown in the following discussions are variable depending on the source cited, and on subvarieties that may contain differing elemental substitutions.
Page 1 and 2: are earth elements in Wyoming Wayne
Page 3: Rare Earth Elements in Wyoming Wyom
Page 6 and 7: Deacon’s Prayer Group Claims . .
Page 9 and 10: AbstrAct Rare earth elements (REE)
Page 11 and 12: Wyo-DOG is a multi-tiered applicati
Page 13 and 14: neodymium-145 through electron capt
Page 15 and 16: ability and economic factors, inclu
Page 17: Gosen, Foley, and Cordier, 2010). T
Page 21 and 22: diorites, and their associated pegm
Page 23 and 24: REE deposit in Wyoming and is curre
Page 25 and 26: 17 figure 1. Locations of samples c
Page 27 and 28: accessory aegirine, apatite, stront
Page 29 and 30: Precambrian occurrences Precambrian
Page 31 and 32: 23 figure 5. Sample locations and g
Page 33 and 34: table 6. Concentration of the REE,
Page 35 and 36: the Tie Siding pegmatites. The alte
Page 37 and 38: coarse-grained granite (QAP: 30% Q,
Page 39 and 40: lbs) for 1957 and 450 kg (1,000 lbs
Page 41 and 42: granite to granodiorite with rapaki
Page 43 and 44: 35 figure 10. Sample locations and
Page 45 and 46: table 10. Concentration of the REE,
Page 47 and 48: tertiary-aged Igneous occurrences L
Page 49 and 50: downstream from older REE mineral c
Page 51 and 52: 43 figure 15. Locations of 1952 USB
Page 53 and 54: samples 20110824WS-C and 20110824WS
Page 55 and 56: Samples of the Flathead were collec
Page 57 and 58: tourmaline, amphibole, spinel, sphe
Page 59 and 60: Mud creek, nW¼nE¼ sec. 19, t. 44
Page 61 and 62: figure 20. Sample locations and geo
Page 63 and 64: interaction between oxidized ground
Page 65 and 66: distinct horizons (plus one unit wi
Page 67 and 68: figure 22. Sample locations and lit
Page 69 and 70:
1977; Love, 1984). REE concentratio
Page 71 and 72:
figure 26. Dahllite concretions fro
Page 73 and 74:
Moonstone Formation Reefs, SW¼SE¼
Page 75 and 76:
EfErEncEs Adams, J.W., Arengi, J.T.
Page 77 and 78:
logical Survey of Wyoming [Wyoming
Page 79 and 80:
Love, J.D., 1964, Uraniferous phosp
Page 81 and 82:
Saywell, T., 2011, Molycorp’s Mou
Page 83 and 84:
IndEx A Abandoned Mine Lands 2 acmi
Page 85 and 86:
f fergusonite 12, 13, 33 Ferris Mou
Page 87 and 88:
monazite 1, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18,
Page 89 and 90:
strontianite 18, 19 Stump Formation
Page 91:
notes
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