3217 Rare earth elements enrichment in Triassic coals deposits and associated argillaceous rocks in Lesotho
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17159/Abstract
The demand for rare earth elements has increased around the world due to their application in a variety of technological advancements. Previous studies have evaluated the potential of the rare earth elements and yttrium (REY) hosted within the Permian coal deposits of the Main Karoo Basin (MKB) in Southern Africa. However, not a lot of scientific research has gone into the Triassic coals deposits. This study aims to characterise and evaluate the potential of REY in the Taung region, southwest of Lesotho. Coal samples and associated argillaceous samples from Taung were analysed using an Inductively Coupled Plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for trace elements and microscopic petrography for coal analysis. The total REY concentration in the coal and its associated rock samples range from 163 ppm to 855 ppm, which is significantly higher than the upper crustal averages (UCC). It is envisioned that the area could be a prime deposit for these REY as the Taung deposit is a low-rank coal and could potentially be easier to extract REY using simple leaching methods.
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