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Title: Rare Earth Element Determination in Uranium Ore Concentrates Using Online and Offline Chromatography Coupled to ICP-MS

Abstract

The determination of trace elements, particularly rare earth elements, in uranium ore concentrates (UOCs) is important as the pattern can be indictive ore characteristics. Presented here is a methodology for accurately quantifying rare earth elements (REE) in UOCs. To improve the measurement uncertainty, isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) was utilized over other quantification techniques such as external calibration or standard addition. The isotopic determinations were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). To obtain high-fidelity isotopic measurements, separation of the REE from the uranium matrix was achieved by high-performance ion chromatography (HPIC), reducing the isobaric interferences. After separation, the target analytes were analyzed in two different modalities. For high precision analysis, the separated analytes were collected and measured by ICP-MS in an “offline” fashion. For a rapid approach, the separated analytes were sent directly into an ICP-MS for “online” analysis. These methods have been demonstrated to accurately quantify the REE content in a well-characterized UOC sample.

Authors:
ORCiD logo [1]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2]; ORCiD logo [2];  [2]; ORCiD logo [2];  [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [2]
  1. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States); Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States)
  2. Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
  3. Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)
OSTI Identifier:
1606756
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC05-00OR22725
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Minerals
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 10; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 2075-163X
Publisher:
MDPI
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; uranium ore concentrate; ICP-MS; isotope dilution mass spectrometry; ion chromatography

Citation Formats

Bradley, Veronica C., Manard, Benjamin T., Roach, Benjamin D., Metzger, Shalina C., Rogers, Kayron T., Ticknor, Brian W., Wysor, Sarah K., Brockman, John D., and Hexel, Cole R. Rare Earth Element Determination in Uranium Ore Concentrates Using Online and Offline Chromatography Coupled to ICP-MS. United States: N. p., 2020. Web. doi:10.3390/min10010055.
Bradley, Veronica C., Manard, Benjamin T., Roach, Benjamin D., Metzger, Shalina C., Rogers, Kayron T., Ticknor, Brian W., Wysor, Sarah K., Brockman, John D., & Hexel, Cole R. Rare Earth Element Determination in Uranium Ore Concentrates Using Online and Offline Chromatography Coupled to ICP-MS. United States. https://doi.org/10.3390/min10010055
Bradley, Veronica C., Manard, Benjamin T., Roach, Benjamin D., Metzger, Shalina C., Rogers, Kayron T., Ticknor, Brian W., Wysor, Sarah K., Brockman, John D., and Hexel, Cole R. Wed . "Rare Earth Element Determination in Uranium Ore Concentrates Using Online and Offline Chromatography Coupled to ICP-MS". United States. https://doi.org/10.3390/min10010055. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1606756.
@article{osti_1606756,
title = {Rare Earth Element Determination in Uranium Ore Concentrates Using Online and Offline Chromatography Coupled to ICP-MS},
author = {Bradley, Veronica C. and Manard, Benjamin T. and Roach, Benjamin D. and Metzger, Shalina C. and Rogers, Kayron T. and Ticknor, Brian W. and Wysor, Sarah K. and Brockman, John D. and Hexel, Cole R.},
abstractNote = {The determination of trace elements, particularly rare earth elements, in uranium ore concentrates (UOCs) is important as the pattern can be indictive ore characteristics. Presented here is a methodology for accurately quantifying rare earth elements (REE) in UOCs. To improve the measurement uncertainty, isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) was utilized over other quantification techniques such as external calibration or standard addition. The isotopic determinations were measured by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). To obtain high-fidelity isotopic measurements, separation of the REE from the uranium matrix was achieved by high-performance ion chromatography (HPIC), reducing the isobaric interferences. After separation, the target analytes were analyzed in two different modalities. For high precision analysis, the separated analytes were collected and measured by ICP-MS in an “offline” fashion. For a rapid approach, the separated analytes were sent directly into an ICP-MS for “online” analysis. These methods have been demonstrated to accurately quantify the REE content in a well-characterized UOC sample.},
doi = {10.3390/min10010055},
journal = {Minerals},
number = 1,
volume = 10,
place = {United States},
year = {2020},
month = {1}
}

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