Aspect in Topography to Enhance Fine-detailed Landform Element Extraction on High-resolution DEM

The value of the high-resolution data lies in the high-precision information discovery.The fine-detailed landform element extraction is thus the basis of high-fidelity application of the high-resolution digital elevation models(DEMs).However,the results of landform element extraction generated by classical methods might be ungrounded on high-resolution DEMs.This paper presents our research on using the aspect to reinforce the applicability and robustness of the classical approaches in landform element extraction.First,according to the research of pattern recognition,we assume that aspect-enhanced landform representation is robust to rotation,scaling and affine variance.To testify the role of aspect,we respectively integrated the aspect into three classical approaches:mean curvaturebased fuzzy classification,elevation-based feature descriptor,and object-based segmentation.In the experiment,based on four types of high-resolution DEMs(1 m,2 m,4 m and 8 m),we compare each classical approaches and their corresponding aspect-enhanced approaches based on extracting the rims of two craters having different landforms,and the ridgelines and valleylines of a region covered by few vegetables and man-made buildings.In comparison to the results generated by curvature-based fuzzy classification,the aspect enhanced curvature-based fuzzy classification can effectively filter a number of noises outperforms the curvature-based one.Otherwise,the aspect-enhanced feature descriptor can detect more landform elements than the elevation-based feature descriptor.Moreover,the aspect-based segmentation can detect the main structure of landform,while the boundaries segmented by classical approaches are messing and meaningless.The systematic experiments on meter-level resolution DEMs proved that the aspect in topography could effectively to improve the classical method-system,including fuzzy-based classification,feature descriptors-based detection and object-based segmentation.The value of aspect is significantly great to be worthy of attentions in landform representation.

Breakthrough in the China's Separation Technology for Extraction of Rare Earth Elements

Separation technology of rare earth elements （REEs）, as the critical step in the separation process, had long been fraught with technical difficulty. A research project conducted by Baotou Shibo Rare Earth Extraction ＆ Equipment Co. Ltd., Baotou REE Research Institute, and Baotou Steel ＆ REE Group Hi-Tech Co. Ltd （Inner Mongolia）, has successfully solved the problem using a centrifugal extractor and advanced techniques to achieve a key breakthrough.

STUDY ON THE SEPARATION AND EXTRACTION MECHANISM OF RARE EARTH ELEMENTS BY MEANS OF REVERSED-PHASE PAPER CHROMATOGRAPHY

Reversed-phase paper chromatography technique is used for study on the extraction mechanism and sep- aration of rare earth elements.As the stationary phase,chromatographic paper strips are impregnated with a solution of monomyristyl phosphoric acid (MPA) in chloroform.Mineral acids are used as developers. The effect of concentration of acids and/or salts upon R_f has been investigated.According to the re- sults of R_f values for a given rare earth element in various acids,the order of extraction ability is HCl>HNO_3>H_2SO_4.A tetrad effect is clearly observed.for the R_f value of rare earth elements.The effects of other parameters on the R_f value,such as the quantities of extractant retained by the paper and the temperature are also examined.Based on the determination of the molar ratio of MPA to rare earth elements and the number of H^+ ions released in extraction reaction,a reasonable mechanism is proposed.The mutual separation of heavy rare earth elements will be better than that of the light rare earth group because of the larger separation coefficient of the former.A mixture of Ho-Er-Tm-Lu is successfully separated by the present method.

Solvent extraction kinetics of Sm(Ⅲ),Eu(Ⅲ) and Gd(Ⅲ) with 2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid-2-ethylhexyl ester

Solvent extraction kinetics of Sm（Ⅲ）, Eu（Ⅲ） and Gd（Ⅲ） from hydrochloric acid have been focused on using 2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid-2-ethylhexyl ester （P507） with Anordning for Kontinuerlig Undersokning av Fordelningsfaktore rid Vatske Extraction （AKUFVE）. Compared with the conventional set-up, some advantages emerge obviously, for example, fast phase separation, easy operation and convenience of kinetic data acquisition. First of all, the extraction mechanism was discussed based on the dimeric model of P507. Secondly, the effects of stirring speed were investigated and 420 r-min-1 was determined of the following experiments. The effects of pH, concentration of rare earth elements （REEs） and P507 on the extraction rate were analyzed. The results indicated that the extraction mechanism changed with the increasing concentration of P507. Then, the experiments with different temperature were carried out. It turned out that the values of apparent activation energy （Ea） for Sm（Ⅲ）, Eu（Ⅲ） and Gd（Ⅲ） extracted by P507 were 26.80 kJ-mol-1, 13.40 kJ.mol-1 and 1.10 kJ- mol- 1 respectively, the resistance of the entire process was limited by diffusion or both of diffusion and reaction. Finally, the correlation equations were obtained, and the theoretical results fit with the experimental data well, most relative error was within ± 30%.

Solvent extraction and separation of light rare earth elements (La, Pr and Nd) in the presence of lactic acid as a complexing agent by Cyanex 272 in kerosene and the effect of citric acid,acetic acid and Titriplex Ⅲ as auxiliary agents

At present, the use of rare earth elements（REEs） has become an inevitable necessity in many modern industries. In general, liquid extraction is the best commercial method for extracting REEs due to its ability to control high volumes of liquids with electrical load. With the aim of improving a separation technology that would be superior to the existing extraction systems, the extraction behaviors of La（Ⅲ）,Pr（Ⅲ）, and Nd（Ⅲ） from an HCI medium with Cyanex 272 in the presence of the complexing agent lactic acid（HLac） and auxiliary agents citric acid（H3 Cit）, acetic acid（HAc）, and Titriplex Ⅲ have been reported.The effect of pH and lactic acid concentration has been examined. The use of lactic acid as a complexing agent leading to a high extraction of REEs with Cyanex 272 at pH = 5 was compared with systems without lactic acid. The results show that the use of acetic acid along with lactic acid leads to an increase in the extraction percentage of LREEs. While use of citric acid and Titriplex Ⅲ reduces the extraction percentage of LREEs. Finally, the presence of Titriplex Ⅲ together with lactic acid could lead to an increase in the separation factor of Pr and Nd.