Study on REE occurrence in a Svanbergite and basic ore characteristics

Svanbergite in Sichuan Province, China is a special middle-low grade phosphorus ore. It contains rare earth elements (REEs), aluminum, and strontium that can be exploited and utilized. In this study, several methods were used to systematically study the occurrence of REEs in the ore and basic ore characteristics. The ore, which was rich in REEs, Al, and Sr, was classified as marine sedimentary low-grade phosphorus ore. The main ore mineral was crandallite and pyrite, and independent REE minerals were not found. Crandallite was the main carrier mineral of useful elements, including P, REEs, Al, and Sr. REE+ was inferred to mainly exist in crandallite via isomorphism by replacing Ca2+ and H+. The crandallite was mainly characterized as fine-grained, and minerals were closely disseminated. The results from this study will provide a valuable reference for expanding available REE resources and the efficient comprehensive utilization of svanbergite.