Research on the Rare Metal Resources (IV) Characterization and Ore Processing of Rare Earth bearing Carbonatite from Vale do Ribeira, Brazil

The Vale do Ribeira is located the southwest of Sao Paulo state in Brazil and is of the carbonatite deposit which contains many valuable elements. The ankerite was found to contain the following minerals, ankerite, calcite, dolomite synchisite, barite from X-ray and EPMA studies. γ-ray spectrometry proved that this ore is also impotant as uranium and thorium resources because of their contents of 0.01% and 1.2%, respectively. The radioactive problems from radium must be discussed. The ore can be easily dissolved in concentrate HC1 solution, and selective leaching by controlling pH and reaction time and selective precipitation by adding sodium hydroxide and ammonium oxalate are possible. Finally, lanthan and cerium solution of 99% content with 88% recovery was obtained which was available for crude rare earth chlorides