Rare earth elements are extensively utilized in defense technology and high-tech industries, leading to a surge in global demand. However, conventional recoverable rare earth resources are limited, necessitating the development and utilization of associated rare earth resources. Taking a sandstone-type uranium deposit in Ili Basin, Xinjiang as the research subject, using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to test the content of rare earth elements and analyze their occurrence states. The differences in rare earth element occurrence under various particle sizes of uranium minerals are systematically investigated. The results show that associated rare earth element content within the Ili Basin's sandstone-type uranium deposit ranged from 85.48×10-6 to 221.17×10-6. The overall REE curve using average values derived from Australian Shale demonstrate a right-upper inclination trend, indicating fractionation between heavy and light rare earth elements during uranium mineralization processes. Fine ores with particle sizes <0.425 mm exhibite a higher propensity for REE occurrence. The correlation between rare elements such as Mo and Sc and rare earth elements is significant, and both have similar ore-forming environments. The mass concentration of rare earth elements in the production liquids of in-situ leaching site for uranium range from 23.92 to 26.03 mg/L, which reached the standard of recycling and use. The content of rare earth elements in the production liquid is medium rare earth elements, light rare earth elements and heavy rare earth elements from high to low. It is feasible to recover rare earth elements from sandstone uranium deposits using acid in-situ leaching process.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |