Characterization of Rare Earth Element Ores with High Spatial Resolution Scannhing Electron Microscopy

Rare earth elements (RREs) include the fifteen lanthanides plus scandium and yttrium [1]. Because of their prevalence in renewable energy devices and high-end electronics, REEs become increasingly significant for the advancement of technology and energy saving devices [2]. The goal of this project is to estimate the economical values of rare earth elements and to find the optimal extraction process through charactering composition and morphology of REEs-bearing minerals. Typically, the quantitative evaluation is achieved by automated scanning electron microscope and mineral liberation analyzer, but the results are limited by the low spatial resolution and global chemical analysis of these methods. High spatial resolution imaging and x-ray microanalysis are needed to correctly characterize the REEs-bearing minerals.