Fractionation mechanisms of rare earth element speciation in granitic weathering profiles: Metallogenic implications for the kuanyu ion-adsorption REE deposit, dechang, SW China.

The Kuanyu ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) deposit, Sichuan's first economically viable resource of its type, remains underexplored in terms of REE fractionation and enrichment mechanisms within its weathering profiles. This study systematically resolves REE speciation patterns and ligh...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lijun Qian, Lihua Ou, Guoxin Li, Xuepeng Xiao, Bo Qian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2025-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329138
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849773065770106880
author Lijun Qian
Lihua Ou
Guoxin Li
Xuepeng Xiao
Bo Qian
author_facet Lijun Qian
Lihua Ou
Guoxin Li
Xuepeng Xiao
Bo Qian
author_sort Lijun Qian
collection DOAJ
description The Kuanyu ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) deposit, Sichuan's first economically viable resource of its type, remains underexplored in terms of REE fractionation and enrichment mechanisms within its weathering profiles. This study systematically resolves REE speciation patterns and light-to-heavy REE (LREE/HREE) differentiation processes, advancing the metallogenic framework fo r such deposits. Analytical results demonstrate: (1) A vertically progressive enrichment of LREE-dominated REE concentrations from bedrock to topsoil, with the fully weathered layer serving as the primary enrichment zone; (2) Weathering of primary REE-bearing minerals and subsequent secondary mineral formation as drivers of elemental redistribution; (3) Contrasting controls by clay minerals, iron-manganese oxides, and humic acids-clay minerals preferentially adsorb LREEs, while iron-manganese oxides exhibit stronger HREE affinity through inner-sphere complexation, and humic acids enhance HREE mobility via stable complex formation. These findings establish iron-manganese oxides and organic ligands as dual regulators of REE fractionation, refining predictive models for ion-adsorption REE exploration in granitic weathering systems.
format Article
id doaj-art-846e861bc74645b481a5cf2fe86bb651
institution DOAJ
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-846e861bc74645b481a5cf2fe86bb6512025-08-20T03:02:10ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032025-01-01207e032913810.1371/journal.pone.0329138Fractionation mechanisms of rare earth element speciation in granitic weathering profiles: Metallogenic implications for the kuanyu ion-adsorption REE deposit, dechang, SW China.Lijun QianLihua OuGuoxin LiXuepeng XiaoBo QianThe Kuanyu ion-adsorption rare earth element (REE) deposit, Sichuan's first economically viable resource of its type, remains underexplored in terms of REE fractionation and enrichment mechanisms within its weathering profiles. This study systematically resolves REE speciation patterns and light-to-heavy REE (LREE/HREE) differentiation processes, advancing the metallogenic framework fo r such deposits. Analytical results demonstrate: (1) A vertically progressive enrichment of LREE-dominated REE concentrations from bedrock to topsoil, with the fully weathered layer serving as the primary enrichment zone; (2) Weathering of primary REE-bearing minerals and subsequent secondary mineral formation as drivers of elemental redistribution; (3) Contrasting controls by clay minerals, iron-manganese oxides, and humic acids-clay minerals preferentially adsorb LREEs, while iron-manganese oxides exhibit stronger HREE affinity through inner-sphere complexation, and humic acids enhance HREE mobility via stable complex formation. These findings establish iron-manganese oxides and organic ligands as dual regulators of REE fractionation, refining predictive models for ion-adsorption REE exploration in granitic weathering systems.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329138
spellingShingle Lijun Qian
Lihua Ou
Guoxin Li
Xuepeng Xiao
Bo Qian
Fractionation mechanisms of rare earth element speciation in granitic weathering profiles: Metallogenic implications for the kuanyu ion-adsorption REE deposit, dechang, SW China.
PLoS ONE
title Fractionation mechanisms of rare earth element speciation in granitic weathering profiles: Metallogenic implications for the kuanyu ion-adsorption REE deposit, dechang, SW China.
title_full Fractionation mechanisms of rare earth element speciation in granitic weathering profiles: Metallogenic implications for the kuanyu ion-adsorption REE deposit, dechang, SW China.
title_fullStr Fractionation mechanisms of rare earth element speciation in granitic weathering profiles: Metallogenic implications for the kuanyu ion-adsorption REE deposit, dechang, SW China.
title_full_unstemmed Fractionation mechanisms of rare earth element speciation in granitic weathering profiles: Metallogenic implications for the kuanyu ion-adsorption REE deposit, dechang, SW China.
title_short Fractionation mechanisms of rare earth element speciation in granitic weathering profiles: Metallogenic implications for the kuanyu ion-adsorption REE deposit, dechang, SW China.
title_sort fractionation mechanisms of rare earth element speciation in granitic weathering profiles metallogenic implications for the kuanyu ion adsorption ree deposit dechang sw china
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329138
work_keys_str_mv AT lijunqian fractionationmechanismsofrareearthelementspeciationingraniticweatheringprofilesmetallogenicimplicationsforthekuanyuionadsorptionreedepositdechangswchina
AT lihuaou fractionationmechanismsofrareearthelementspeciationingraniticweatheringprofilesmetallogenicimplicationsforthekuanyuionadsorptionreedepositdechangswchina
AT guoxinli fractionationmechanismsofrareearthelementspeciationingraniticweatheringprofilesmetallogenicimplicationsforthekuanyuionadsorptionreedepositdechangswchina
AT xuepengxiao fractionationmechanismsofrareearthelementspeciationingraniticweatheringprofilesmetallogenicimplicationsforthekuanyuionadsorptionreedepositdechangswchina
AT boqian fractionationmechanismsofrareearthelementspeciationingraniticweatheringprofilesmetallogenicimplicationsforthekuanyuionadsorptionreedepositdechangswchina