Knowledge Agora

Title	Mine waste from carbonatite deposits as potential rare earth resource: Insight into the Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex
ID_Doc	14386
Authors	Gómez-Arias, A; Yesares, L; Díaz, J; Caraballo, MA; Maleke, M; Sáez, R; van Heerden, E; Vermeulen, D; Nieto, JM; Castillo, J
Title	Mine waste from carbonatite deposits as potential rare earth resource: Insight into the Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex
Year	2022
Published
Abstract	The Phalaborwa (Palabora) Igneous Complex (PIC), South Africa, has been mined for the last six decades for copper and phosphate, among others commodities. As a result, more than 4500 Mt. of mining wastes have been deposited in waste rock dumps (WRDs) and tailing impoundments. This study aims to investigate the potential of the PIC wastes (WRDs and tailings) as a secondary resource of rare earth elements (REE) and its possible pro-cessing options, by means of both mineralogical and geochemical determinations, using X-ray diffraction (XRD), petrographic and scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA). The samples were also submitted to a REE leachability assay based in a sequential extraction procedure. Phoscorites and carbonatites are major lithologies in the WRDs and contain a notable concentration of REE, of which 0.2 and 0.1 wt%, respectively, would be easily extractable. The mineralogical results show monazite as the main REE-mineral (FREE 60 wt%), while fluorapatite and calcite are the most important REE-bearing minerals (FREE 1 and 0.5 wt%, respectively) for their abundance. On the other hand, the tailings are comprised mostly by monomineralic particles of calcite, dolomite, pyroxene, fluorapatite, magnetite and phlogopite. Based on the geochemical results, the extraction of REE from monazite, fluorapatite, calcite and dolomite, from tailings produced by both the Cu and the phosphate mines, might produce up to 5.65 and 1.75 kg of REE per ton, respectively. Therefore, tailings from PIC have the potential to become an asset. An approach to circular economy by re-processing mining wastes would extend the lifetime of the PIC mines and their benefits, while reducing the waste of resources and their environmental impact.
PDF

Similar Articles

ID	Score	Article
15181		Gómez-Arias, A; Yesares, L; Caraballo, MA; Maleke, M; Vermeulen, D; Nieto, JM; van Heerden, E; Castillo, J Environmental and geochemical characterization of alkaline mine wastes from Phalaborwa (Palabora) Complex, South Africa(2021)
13215		Zglinicki, K; Szamalek, K; Konopka, G Monazite-bearing post processing wastes and their potential economic significance(2020)Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi-Mineral Resources Management, 36, 1
63027		Zglinicki, K; Malek, R; Szamalek, K; Wolkowicz, S Mining Waste as a Potential Additional Source of HREE and U for the European Green Deal: A Case Study of Bangka Island (Indonesia)(2022)Minerals, 12, 1
25410		García, S; Camus, L; Gonzalez-Diaz, E; Collao, R; Townley, B; Parviainen, A; Caraballo, MA The importance of geochemical and mineralogical characterization of fresh Cu-Porphyry mine tailings in mineral processing plants to optimize their revalorization potential(2024)
26361		Zhao, XY; Khelifi, F; Casale, M; Cavallo, A; Padoan, E; Yang, K; Dino, GA Critical Raw Materials Supply: Challenges and Potentialities to Exploit Rare Earth Elements from Siliceous Stones and Extractive Waste(2024)Resources-Basel, 13, 7
16660		Burlakovs, J; Jani, Y; Kriipsalu, M; Vincevica-Gaile, Z; Kaczala, F; Celma, G; Ozola, R; Rozina, L; Rudovica, V; Hogland, M; Viksna, A; Pehme, KM; Hogland, W; Klavins, M On the way to 'zero waste' management: Recovery potential of elements, including rare earth elements, from fine fraction of waste(2018)
24501		Rosario-Beltré, AJ; Sánchez-España, J; Rodríguez-Gómez, V; Fernández-Naranjo, FJ; Bellido-Martín, E; Adánez-Sanjuán, P; Arranz-González, JC Critical Raw Materials recovery potential from Spanish mine wastes: A national-scale preliminary assessment(2023)