Determination of lanthanides and yttrium in rare earth ores and concentrates by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry

Abstract

An inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometric (ICP-AES) method for the determination of lanthanides and yttrium in rare earth ores and concentrates is described. After a suitable separation of these elements from the other matrix constituents, a nitric solution of rare earth elements was obtained for the ICP-AES measurements. The optimum conditions were selected by a simplex method. Several analytical wavelengths were chosen for each element, using barium as internal standard. A detailed study of spectral interferences was made and correction coefficients were calculated. Good agreement between the results and previously published values obtained by several techniques was obtained. © 1992.