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Cerium

Primary Applications

Catalytic converters, glass polishing, petroleum catalysts, glass additives, mischmetal

Mining Significance

Cerium is the most abundant rare earth element and is commonly recovered from bastnäsite and monazite alongside other light rare earths. Its relative abundance can make cerium a large-volume component of rare-earth concentrates even when other elements provide more project value. Cerium’s ability to oxidize from Ce3+ to Ce4+ can sometimes be exploited during hydrometallurgical separation.

Industries

None listed
58
Ce
Cerium
140.12

Key Properties

  • Most abundant of the rare earth elements.
  • Soft, reactive metal that tarnishes rapidly in air.
  • Readily switches between +3 and +4 oxidation states.
  • Cerium oxide is a strong polishing material and oxygen-storage component in catalysts.
  • Common constituent of bastnäsite, monazite, and mixed rare-earth concentrates.

Mining Targets

This element is often found in the following Deposit Types and Mineral targets.

Deposit Type: Carbonatite REE - Carbonatite-hosted deposits enriched in rare earth elements (REEs), commonly associated with alkaline igneous complexes.

Mineral: Bastnäsite - (Ce,La)CO₃F - Bastnäsite is a principal light-REE ore mineral in carbonatite deposits and commonly contains cerium as a major rare-earth component.