Ultraviolet to near-infrared spectroscopy of REE-bearing materials

Increasing worldwide demand for many of our natural resources requires that we reassess our geologic models and expand our search for rare earth element (REE) resources in the United States. Currently, there is a lack of sufficient spectroscopic investigations characterizing surface materials associated with many of the potential REE-bearing deposit types. Understanding the spectral properties of these deposits using ultraviolet (UV) to near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopic methods will add significant information about how we assess such deposits in the future using laboratory spectrometers, core scanning systems, and imaging spectrometers. Spectra of lanthanide-bearing materials show fine structure in the UV to NIR wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum that are caused by 4/-4/ intraconfigurational electron transitions of lanthanide ions present in the material [1]. Lanthanide-bearing minerals produce sharp spectral absorptions that allow for accurate identification of these minerals when found in significant concentrations and can also be used to identify the type of lanthanides based on the position of their absorptions.