Supergene enrichment processes in carbonatite-hosted REE deposits

Rare earth elements are critical resources to support the development of renewable energy generation and low carbon transport, via the production of high strength magnets. The majority of current production is either from bedrock carbonatites or from weathered granitoids. However, although not the largest resources, weathered carbonatites have some of the highest grades, which combined with weakened host rocks, elemental enrichments and fractionations, and a mineralogy amenable to current mineral processing techniques could make them attractive targets for production. This project is funded by the University of Brighton and will run alongside the NERC funded SCREED (Supergene Enrichment of Carbonatite-hosted REE deposits), and will investigate weathered profile formation processes at single site selected from the main project’s study sites in Finland, Malawi/Namibia or China. The project will involve international field work to the selected site, and training in analytical techniques including XRD, XRF, electron microscopy, solution and LA- ICPMS, and aspects of geochronology. The candidate will also have opportunity to be involved in aspects of the main project. The aim will be to produce an integrated model of weathering and REE behavior, to be compared with other study sites, and to guide further resource exploration and extraction.