AbstractWe present a computational investigation into the nature of bonds formed by rare earth elements (REE) in materials. This study focuses on the incorporation of neodymium in minerals called apatites, which are derived from fluorapatite: Ca10(PO4)6F2. These minerals, which allow many substitutions on all three Ca, P, and F sites, are considered as potential host phases for radioactive elements separated from nuclear waste. Nd and trivalent actinides have very similar physical and chemical properties, and Nd is not radioactive and much more easily handled. It is therefore very often used as a surrogate for actinides with oxidation degree three in experimental studies. Several formulas can be considered to substitute Nd3+ to Ca2+ and maintain charge balance of the apatite. Existing experimental and theoretical studies, however, mostly concern the Ca9Nd(PO4)5SiO4F2 formula, where the Nd incorporation is compensated by the replacement of one PO by a SiO group. Moreover, only the cation position has been studied, whereas the silicate position and its influence on stability are unknown. We present a more general investigation of possible charge compensations on the one hand, and of
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