extraction methods.

Peppard and coworkers (11, 12) have investigated the

application of solvent extraction techniques to the recovery of yttrium and
heavy lanthanons from nitric acid and by hydrochloric acid solutions.

DESCRIPTI0N 0F THE 0RE

Ore samples were obtained by Bureau engineers from outcrops, an open cut,
and an adit of the Little Johnnie claims near Powderhorn, Gunnison County,
Colo. The samples contained from 1 to 4 pct thoria and, additionally, about
1.5 pct combined yttria and lanthanon group oxides. A composite of the vari
ous samples was prepared for use in ensuing research; it
assayed as follows:

Percent
Assay:
Thoria (Th03) 1.2
Yttria (Y^) 5
Dysprosia (Dy203) 1

Gadolinium oxide (Gd203) 09

Erbium oxide (Er303) 06
Europium oxide (EugOs) 05
Samar ium oxide ( Snig 03) 05
Neodymium oxide (Nd2 03) 03
Ytterbium oxide (Yb2 03 ) 02
Cerium oxide (Ceg03) >.01
Lanthanum oxide ( La2 03) >.01
Silica (Si02) 55.1
Alumina O3 )
( Al2 12 . 0
Ferric oxide (Fe^03) 11.9
Phosphor ia ( P2 05 ) 2.2
Titania (Ti02) 2.0
Hg0 2.0

Minera logically, the ore mainly consisted of feldspar, quartz, chalcedony, and
limonite. It contained small quantities of barite and fluorspar, and trace
amounts of hornblende, biotite, and xenotime (YP04). A discrete thorium-
bearing mineral was not found in this composite, but the material has been
referred to as a thorite ore in deference to mineralogic studies presented by
the Geological Survey that reported the presence of thorite or thorogummite
in some samples ( 10).

Examination of the ore by electron probe X-ray spectrograph4 showed

thorium to be concentrated within larger grains of the ore in small fracture-
filling areas. These areas always contained yttrium and were from 1 to 20
microns in diameter. Yttrium also was detected in very small areas that were
rich in phosphorus. Two thorium-rich areas were analyzed quantitatively by
electron probe X-ray spectrography :
4 Specimens of the ore were examined by James D. Brown, physical chemist, of
the Bureau's College Park Metallurgy Research Center, College Park, Md.