The on-site identification of rare-earth-element (REE) bearing minerals prior to off-site quantitative analysis helps to efficiently develop mines that reserve REEs. This study examines a method for rapidly identifying xenotime, which is one of the principal REE bearing minerals, leading to such on-site analysis. It is based on acquiring X-ray-excited optical luminescence (XEOL) images of mineral ores that primarily comprise xenotime. Intense green or greenish-yellow luminescence originating from Sm, Eu, Tb, and Dy was detected for xenotime with a uranium content of less than 1.1 wt%, which includes over half of the xenotime in the world. Other minerals emitted no luminescence (e.g., cheralite, chlorite, and potassium feldspar), different colored luminescence from xenotime (e.g., albite and potassium feldspar), or weak green luminescence (e.g., zircon). Therefore, xenotime can in most circumstances be distinguished from other minerals by detecting intense green or greenish-yellow luminescence in XEOL images. The XEOL measurement was performed in air within 60 s for an area with the diameter of 3 mm, and the setup primarily required an X-ray tube of the type used in portable analyzers (e.g., X-ray fluorescence analyzers) and a digital camera. The results suggest that the XEOL imaging method may have potential to be used for the on-site and/or field identification of REE bearing minerals.

在进行异地定量分析之前，先对含稀土元素的矿物进行现场鉴定，有助于有效开发具有稀土元素储量的矿山。这项研究探讨了一种快速鉴定异种时间的方法，该方法是主要的含稀土元素矿物，因此可以进行现场分析。它基于获取主要包含xenotime的矿物矿石的X射线激发光致发光（XEOL）图像。在Xenotime中检测到源自Sm，Eu，Tb和Dy的强烈的绿色或黄绿色发光，铀含量低于1.1 wt％，占世界Xenotime的一半以上。其他矿物没有发光（例如，方石英，绿泥石和钾长石），与异种时间不同的彩色发光（例如，钠长石和钾长石）或弱绿色发光（例如，锆石）。因此，在大多数情况下，可以通过检测XEOL图像中强烈的绿色或黄绿色发光来将xenotime与其他矿物区分开。XEOL测量是在60 s的空气中对直径3 mm的区域进行的，该设置主要需要便携式分析仪（例如X射线荧光分析仪）和数码相机中使用的X射线管。结果表明，XEOL成像方法可能具有用于含稀土矿物质的现场和/或现场识别的潜力。并且该设置主要需要便携式分析仪（例如X射线荧光分析仪）中使用的X射线管和数码相机。结果表明，XEOL成像方法可能具有用于含稀土矿物质的现场和/或现场识别的潜力。并且该设置主要需要便携式分析仪（例如X射线荧光分析仪）中使用的X射线管和数码相机。结果表明，XEOL成像方法可能具有用于含稀土矿物质的现场和/或现场识别的潜力。