Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 12, 2026
Two-way Valorization of Blast Furnace Slag: Synthesis of Precipitated Calcium Carbonate and Zeolitic Heavy Metal Adsorbent
Published on: February 21, 2017
Bastnäsite nanoparticles in carbonatite-syenite-hosted REE deposit： implication for La and Ce migration and
Rui Liu1, Benyu Bo2, Dongping Tao1
1School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255000, China.
Abstract:
High-resolution transmission electron microscopy observations of bastnäsite from the Maoniuping rare earth element (REE) deposit at Panxi, SW China, revealed the presence of nanoparticles in the surface of bastnäsite crystal. The nanoparticles are identified as the bastnäsite nanocrystals, with 5-30 nm in length, by energy-dispersive spectrometry and fast fourier transform patterns. This represents the first observation of bastnäsite nanoparticle in nature, confirming a new form of migration and precipitation of La and Ce in the hydrothermal fluids. Meanwhile, we herein reveal that random attachment of small bastnäsite nanoparticles during aggregation-based growth initially produces large bastnäsite nanoparticles, driven by the tectonic stress. Subsequent evolution of the random aggregation and orientation of large bastnäsite nanoparticles result in bastnäsite crystal formation, driven by the tectonic stress and inherent surface stress. This underlines the bastnäsite crystallization by random aggregation and the significant role of tectonic stress in forming the bastnäsite crystal in REE deposit.
