<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Rare earth elements (REE) are critical metals widely used in modern technology. There is an increased demand for these elements which has necessitated additional exploration. The REE geochemistry of syenites and charnockitic rocks from selected locations within southwestern Nigeria were studied to determine their concentrations, distribution patterns, and mineralisation potential to deduce if they can be economically exploited. Mineralogical studies were carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Ten rock samples including five syenites and five charnockites were analysed for their elemental composition using inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The REE-bearing minerals identified from the SEM analysis include apatite and monazite. The fractionation ratio (La/Yb)<sub>N</sub> ranged from 29.36 to 48.75 for the syenites and from 24.43 to 48.29 for the charnockites, indicating magmatic differentiation. Total REE (∑REE) in the syenites (342–675 ppm) and charnockites (220–802 ppm) suggests that they are enriched with respect to REE but the REE concentration in the rocks of the study area had very low ∑REE compared to the REE contents of the rocks where they have been mined and may therefore not be economically viable.</p>
</abstract>

Rare earth elements (REE) are critical metals widely used in modern technology. There is an increased demand for these elements which has necessitated additional exploration. The REE geochemistry of syenites and charnockitic rocks from selected locations within southwestern Nigeria were studied to determine their concentrations, distribution patterns, and mineralisation potential to deduce if they can be economically exploited. Mineralogical studies were carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Ten rock samples including five syenites and five charnockites were analysed for their elemental composition using inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The REE-bearing minerals identified from the SEM analysis include apatite and monazite. The fractionation ratio (La/Yb)N ranged from 29.36 to 48.75 for the syenites and from 24.43 to 48.29 for the charnockites, indicating magmatic differentiation. Total REE (∑REE) in the syenites (342–675 ppm) and charnockites (220–802 ppm) suggests that they are enriched with respect to REE but the REE concentration in the rocks of the study area had very low ∑REE compared to the REE contents of the rocks where they have been mined and may therefore not be economically viable.

Rare Earth Element Geochemistry and Abundances in Syenites and Charnockitic Rocks of Selected Locations within Southwestern Nigeria

Materials and Geoenvironment

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Geokemija prvin redkih zemelj in njihova vsebnost v sienitih in čarnokitnih kamninah z izbranih lokacij v jugozahodni Nigeriji

Rare earth elements (REE) are critical metals widely used in modern technology. There is an increased demand for these elements which has necessitated...

Rare Earth Element Geochemistry and Abundances in Syenites and Charnockitic Rocks of Selected Locations within Southwestern Nigeria

Article Category: Original Scientific Article

Published Online: Aug 28, 2023

Page range: 75 - 84

Received: Apr 08, 2022

Accepted: Jun 03, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rmzmag-2021-0018

Keywords
rare earth elements, syenites, charnockites, abundances, fractionation

© 2022 Olugbenga Akindeji Okunlola et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Rare Earth Element Geochemistry and Abundances in Syenites and Charnockitic Rocks of Selected Locations within Southwestern Nigeria

Article Category: Original Scientific Article

Published Online: Aug 28, 2023

Page range: 75 - 84

Received: Apr 08, 2022

Accepted: Jun 03, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/rmzmag-2021-0018

Keywordsrare earth elements, syenites, charnockites, abundances, fractionation

© 2022 Olugbenga Akindeji Okunlola et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
rare earth elements, syenites, charnockites, abundances, fractionation