Atomic Insights into Rare-Earth Element Enrichment and Fractionation in Weathering Crusts

Atomic Insights into Rare-Earth Element Enrichment and Fractionation in Weathering Crusts | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Atomic Insights into Rare-Earth Element Enrichment and Fractionation in Weathering Crusts Jianxi Zhu, Lingyu ran, Gaofeng Wang, Xiaoliang Liang, Bowen Ling, and 4 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4728603/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Regolith-hosted rare-earth element (REE) deposits are essential for supplying heavy-REEs (HREEs), meeting over 95% of global demand. In weathering crusts, REE enrichment and fractionation form these valuable deposits. While REEs are commonly thought to adsorb onto the Al-basal plane of kaolinite, the atomic-scale adsorption state has not been visualized, and the role of clay minerals in REE fractionation is debated. Using high-resolution atomic force microscopy (HR-AFM), we visualize the atomic-scale adsorption of light-REEs (LREEs) and HREEs on the Si-basal and Al-basal planes of kaolinite in aqueous solutions. Our results show that REEs primarily adsorb on the Si-basal plane, forming a "triangle" pattern, with HREEs preferentially adsorbed over LREEs, unequivocally establishing that clay minerals affect REE fractionation. This adsorption behavior is confirmed on mica, which also exposes Si-basal planes. This study reveals the unexpected significance of the Si-plane in REE adsorption, providing atomic-scale insights into REE enrichment and fractionation mechanisms during the metallogenetic process of regolith-hosted REE deposits. Moreover, the elucidated activity and specificity of the Si-basal plane indicate significant implications for various geochemical processes, such as elemental immobilization, transport, and cycling, due to the abundance of silicates within Earth’s crust. Earth and environmental sciences/Solid Earth sciences/Mineralogy Earth and environmental sciences/Solid Earth sciences/Geology/Economic geology Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Supplementary Files SupplementaryInformation.pdf Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4728603","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":331346372,"identity":"0b0247c1-3226-43a5-b6d0-b0d4af345dce","order_by":0,"name":"Jianxi 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In weathering crusts, REE enrichment and fractionation form these valuable deposits. While REEs are commonly thought to adsorb onto the Al-basal plane of kaolinite, the atomic-scale adsorption state has not been visualized, and the role of clay minerals in REE fractionation is debated. Using high-resolution atomic force microscopy (HR-AFM), we visualize the atomic-scale adsorption of light-REEs (LREEs) and HREEs on the Si-basal and Al-basal planes of kaolinite in aqueous solutions. Our results show that REEs primarily adsorb on the Si-basal plane, forming a \"triangle\" pattern, with HREEs preferentially adsorbed over LREEs, unequivocally establishing that clay minerals affect REE fractionation. This adsorption behavior is confirmed on mica, which also exposes Si-basal planes. This study reveals the unexpected significance of the Si-plane in REE adsorption, providing atomic-scale insights into REE enrichment and fractionation mechanisms during the metallogenetic process of regolith-hosted REE deposits. 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