WNA, 2015, reports that a large amount of uranium is in rare-earths deposits, and may be extracted as a by-product. Higher uranium prices and geopolitical developments have enhanced the economic potential for recovering these. In addition to the 5.4 million tonnes of uranium in the known recoverable resources, there are substantial amounts comprising what is known as unconventional resources. One of these is rare earths, in relation to which China has a preeminent position as supplier. This gives rise to commercial pressure for development of other deposits outside China. Some of these contain significant uranium mineralisation. Rare earth elements (REE) are a set of 17 chemical elements in the periodic table, specifically the 15 contiguous lanthanides plus the lighter scandium and yttrium. Scandium and yttrium are considered REE since they tend to occur in the same ore deposits as the lanthanides and exhibit similar physical and chemical properties.
The REEs have unique catalytic, metallurgical, nuclear, electrical, magnetic and luminescent properties. Most REEs are not in fact rare. However, because of their geochemical properties, REE are typically dispersed and not often found in concentrated and economically exploitable forms. REEs are often found together, and are difficult to separate. One of the minerals involved in the progressive discovery and identification of REEs was samarskite, which contains uranium. Many more also contain thorium or not. Economically and geologically there is a distinction between light REE, or cerium earths (scandium, lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, gadolinium (element number 21, 57-64), and heavy REE, or yttrium earths (yttrium, terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium (elements 39, 65-71). Samarium, europium and gadolinium can fall into either category, or with terbium and dysprosium form a middle REE category. Good read ...
See Original URL: http://www.world-nuclear.org/information-library/nuclear-fuel-cycle/uranium-resources/uranium-from-rare-earths-deposits.aspx
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