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Distribution and Speciation of Rare Earth Elements in Coal Fly Ash from the Qianxi Power Plant, Guizhou Province, Southwest China

Coal fly ash (CFA), hazardous to the environment and human health, has been considered to be a potential alternative source for rare earth elements (REEs) in recent years. However, information on how REEs distribute and occur in coal fly ash is still incomplete. In this work, particle size analysis, inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, and electron probe microanalysis were applied to study the occurrence and distribution of REEs in a fly ash sample from the Qianxi coal-fired power plant in Guizhou province. The results show that the REEs content in the CFA was 630.51 ppm. Wet grinding-enhanced leaching experiments revealed that a part of the rare earth particles was encapsulated within the glass body. These rare earth particles could be liberated and released to a certain extent by wet grinding, which would increase the acid-leaching recovery of REEs from 23.49% to 41.68%. This study classifies the speciation of REEs in coal fly ash as (1) amorphous glassy particles with REE minerals or compounds encapsulated inside; (2) amorphous glassy particles with REEs distributed throughout; and (3) discrete REE minerals or compounds. The results of this study are a basis for developing an economically viable and environmentally sustainable technology for recovering REEs from CFA.