Potential Future Alternative Resources for Rare Earth Elements: Opportunities and Challenges

Minerals, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 13(3), P. 425 - 425

Published: March 16, 2023

Currently, there is an increasing industrial demand for rare earth elements (REE) as these are now integral to the manufacture of many carbon-neutral technologies. The depleting REE ores and mining costs prompting us consider alternative sources valuable metals, particularly from waste streams. Although concentrations in most resources lower than current ores, some including marine sediments, coal ash, wastes, such red mud, emerging promising with significant REE. This review focuses on REE, ocean bottom continental shelf river stream lake phosphorite deposits, products, mud phosphogypsum, coal, fly ash related materials, rock old closed mines, acid mine drainage, recycling e-waste. Possible future Moon exploration other minerals also discussed. It evident that extractions both primary secondary alone not adequate meet demand, sustainable recovery described here necessary growing demand. An attempt made identify potential sustainability challenges, benefits, possible environmental hazards challenges reaching requirements.

Language: Английский

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Significant microplastic accumulation and burial in the intertidal sedimentary environments of the Yellow River Delta

Journal of Hazardous Materials, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 487, P. 137134 - 137134

Published: Jan. 5, 2025

Language: Английский

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Assessment of eutrophication from Xiaoqing River estuary to Laizhou Bay: Further warning of ecosystem degradation in typically polluted estuary

Marine Pollution Bulletin, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 193, P. 115209 - 115209

Published: June 25, 2023

Language: Английский

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Ecological and Health Risks Attributed to Rare Earth Elements in Coal Fly Ash

Toxics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 12(1), P. 71 - 71

Published: Jan. 15, 2024

The occurrence and distribution of yttrium rare earth elements (REYs), along with major heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) in coal fly ash (CFA) from five coal-fired power plants (CFPPs), were analyzed, the REY-associated ecological health risks assessed. individual REYs CFA abundant following order: Ce > La Nd Y Pr Gd Sm Dy Er Yb Eu Ho Tb Tm Lu. total REY content ranged 135 to 362 mg/kg, averaging 302 mg/kg. mean light-to-heavy ratio was 4.1, indicating prevalent light enrichment CFA. Significantly positive correlations between suggested that they coexist share similar origins estimated pose low moderate risks, risk index (RI) values ranging 66 245. hazard (HI) target cancer (TCR) CFA, be higher for children (HIc = 0.15, TCRc 8.4 × 10−16) than adults (HIa 0.017, TCRa 3.6 10−16), well below safety limits (HI 1, TCR 1.0 10−6). However, danger human posed by HMs same samples 5.74, 2.6 10−4, 1.1 10−4) exceeded safe thresholds (excl. HIa 0.63). RI HI attributed 14% 2.6%, respectively, include HMs.

Language: Английский

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Abundance, distribution, and ecological/environmental risks of critical rare earth elements (REE) in phosphate ore, soil, tailings, and sediments: application of spectroscopic fingerprinting

Journal of Soils and Sediments, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 24(5), P. 2099 - 2118

Published: March 23, 2024

Abstract Purposes This research focuses on the characterization of phosphate ore, its solid effluents, and nearby contaminated soils in southwest Tunisia (Gafsa-Metlaoui Basin). It aims also at evaluating vertical distribution abundance critical rare earth elements (REE) different materials their ecological environmental risks. Materials methods The sampled went through physical, chemical, mineralogical which involved XRF, XPS, XRD, ICP-MS analyses. REE anomalies indices were calculated. Results discussions show relatively high concentrations nine REEs, following sequence La > Ce Nd Y Gd Eu Sm Yb Tb trace metal (TME) such as Cd, Cr, Mn, Zn, Co, Fe, Sr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Ba that surpass, some cases, international standards. studied within a sediment, tailings, soil profiles (beyond 20 cm depth) indicates likely in-depth migration. TME- REE-bearing samples reflect mostly oxic conditions southern area with positive signifying possible mixing sources. assessment indicate no contamination moderate enrichment except for Eu, displays significant extreme enrichment. Whereas, deficiency has been detected most sludge sample was found significantly enriched REE. Conclusions There are fundamental similarities between carbonate mineral concentrations. Statistical analysis confirmed spectroscopic fingerprints demonstrating share similar composition. All these linked to impact mining activities sediments soils. Overall, our findings highlight global effect ore processing determining geochemical characteristics surrounding environments mines.

Language: Английский

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Rare earth elements in sediments from a representative Chinese mariculture bay: Characterization, DGT-based bioaccessibility, and probabilistic ecological risk

Environmental Pollution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 335, P. 122338 - 122338

Published: Aug. 7, 2023

Language: Английский

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Rare earth elements reveal the human health and environmental concerns in the largest tributary of the Mekong river, Northeastern Thailand

Environmental Research, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 252, P. 118968 - 118968

Published: April 21, 2024

Language: Английский

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Geochemical characteristics of the modern Yellow River Delta sediments and their response to evolution of the sedimentary environment

Frontiers in Marine Science, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 11

Published: June 24, 2024

Introduction Sedimentary evolution and river channel changes of large delta (e.g. Huang River, Changjiang River) in response to environmental have been one the key issues global change research. Methods This study reconstructed sedimentary environment modern Yellow River Delta (YRD), based on grain size elemental chemical analysis two short cores (YDC YDG) from southern region Qing 8 course YRD. Results The results indicated that YDC YDG sediment were dominated by silt (58.47% 67.6%, respectively) with varied grain-size variations poor sorting. sediments are both predominantly composed major element SiO2, an average content 55.53% 58.45%, respectively. R-mode factor showed substances core was controlled three factors: size, provenance, marine dynamics. Discussion Before diversion 1996, mainly sources delta-front under weak hydrodynamic conditions. After diverted course, experienced significant erosion nearshore strong waves tides. And then YRD changed siltation erosion. would be helps further our understanding geochemical characteristics estuary, reveal its environment.

Language: Английский

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Anthropogenic impact of rare earth elements on groundwater and surface water in the watershed of the largest freshwater lake in China

The Science of The Total Environment, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 949, P. 175063 - 175063

Published: July 26, 2024

Language: Английский

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Rare earth element (REEs) imprints and provenance of wetland sediments from Oaxaca coast, Mexico

Marine Pollution Bulletin, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 212, P. 117506 - 117506

Published: Jan. 10, 2025

Language: Английский

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