G5 Doctoral dissertation (article)
Laser-spectroscopic studies of rare earth element- and lithium-bearing minerals and rocks (2021)
Laser-spektroskopia harvinaisia maametalleja ja litiumia sisältävien mineraalien ja kivien määrityksessä

Romppanen, S. (2021). Laser-spectroscopic studies of rare earth element- and lithium-bearing minerals and rocks [Doctoral dissertation]. University of Jyväskylä. JYU Dissertations, 393. http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-39-8689-6

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Romppanen, Sari

eISBN: 978-951-39-8689-6

Journal or series: JYU Dissertations

eISSN: 2489-9003

Publication year: 2021

Number in series: 393

Number of pages in the book: 1 verkkoaineisto (66 sivua, 18 sivua useina numerointijaksoina, 4 numeroimatonta sivua)

Publisher: University of Jyväskylä

Place of Publication: Jyväskylä

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: English

Persistent website address: http://urn.fi/URN:ISBN:978-951-39-8689-6

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Abstract

This thesis is an interdisciplinary work, that forms a link between laser-spectroscopic and physical chemistry research to traditional geochemistry and mineralogy. The three laser-spectroscopic methods – laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), Raman spectroscopy, and laser-induced luminescence spectroscopy – are applied to analyse of the rare earth element (REE) and lithium- bearing mineral and rock samples collected from the European Union (EU) region. REEs and lithium were chosen as the scope of the study due to their importance to modern society and industry. The EU has determined these are critical raw materials due to their economic importance and supply risk from the EU’s perspective. The laser-spectroscopic methods presented here provide valuable information about minerals. LIBS produces a characteristic elemental emission spectrum from the mineral surface and detects all elements of the periodic table, including light and non-conductive elements. Thus, it is also very suitable for analysing precious lithium. Molecular structures and, thus, mineralogical information can be achieved with time-gated-Raman spectroscopy, which is also suitable for detecting luminescent minerals. The third compelling technique, laser-induced luminescence spectroscopy, reveals the minerals’ luminescence activators occurring even in very small concentrations. Rare earth elements can commonly act as luminescence activators. The most important characteristics of all these methods are rapid measurement time, minor (or lack of) sample preparation, the possibility of measuring solid samples, and less expensive equipment required when compared with many other techniques. Thus, all these techniques are highly suited to in situ and on-line measurement purposes, which was kept in mind while designing the analysis setups in the laboratory and the efficient data handlings.

Keywords: geochemistry; mineralogy; mineral aggregate; minerals; chemical analysis; elementary analysis; rare earth metals; lithium; spectroscopy; laser technology

Free keywords: laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy; LIBS; Raman spectroscopy; laser-induced luminescence; time-resolving; rare earth elements; REE; lithium

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes