Journal
MINERALS
Volume 10, Issue 7, Pages -Publisher
MDPI
DOI: 10.3390/min10070627
Keywords
lithium; rare earth elements; enrichment; modes of occurrence; groundwater leaching
Funding
- Natural Science Foundation of China [41502162]
- Science and Technology Research Program of Chongqing Municipal Education Commission [KJQN201901230]
- Key Cultivation Project of Chongqing Three Gorges [19ZDPY01, SXAPGC19YB01]
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Coal and coal by-products are considered as the potential raw materials for critical elements (e.g., rare earth elements, Li, Ga, Ge, etc.), which have attracted much attention in recent years. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics, and controlling geological factors of lithium and rare earth elements in the Lopingian (Wujiaping Formation) coal from the Donggou Mine, southeastern Chongqing Coalfield, China. Results indicate that lithium and rare earth elements are significantly enriched in the Donggou coals, which could be new potential alternative sources for critical elements. Concentrations of lithium and rare earth elements in the Donggou coals gradually increase from top to bottom. Lithium is mainly associated with kaolinite, while rhabdophane, florencite, goyazite, and xenotime are the main hosts of rare earth elements. The controlling geological factor is the groundwater leaching of underlying tuff, and to a lesser extent, the terrigenous clastic materials input from the top layer of the Kangdian Upland. This study provides mineralization information for lithium and rare earth elements exploration in coal measures.
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