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Gadolinium contamination from old brick factory

Hi Do you know if its possible for gadolinium to be in the environment of an old brick factory. I think it is used for the firing moulds. I also understand that it tarnishes quickly in moist air. I was thinking if they were broken up when the factory was demolished the element could then get into the environment in some way?

Tonia Malva
research - New Zealand
June 17, 2010

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If electric heating was used in the brick kilns the Gadolonium may have come from the heating elements. The other possible source would be in the raw materials used to make the bricks such as clay or various types of sand that may have contained Gadolonium and released it during the firing process. Gadolonium is found in Monzanite and Bastnasite minerals. There may be traces of other rare earth elements along with the Gadolonium in the brick dust residues if they were in the raw materials.

Good luck & Best regards,

Jim Sivertsen
Refining & Alloys - Alden, New York
June 29, 2010