Determination of rare earth elements in monazite sand by an X-ray excited optical luminescence in lanthanum phosphate hosts

The x-ray excited optical luminescence technique for the direct quantitative determination of rare earth elements in monazite sand is described. In the lanthanum phosphate-rare earth phosphate system, the x-ray excited optical luminescence in the 200-1200 nm consists of various broad and sharp bands due to the rare earth elements. The above observations have been used in an analytical schmeme to determine the rare earth elements, Ce, Nd, Sm, and Dy, in Korean monazite sand with a relative standard deviation of +-3.2% to 0.02%. By using these techniques rare earth elements have been determined in a sample of Korean monazite sand. (author)