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Australian Mines and Mineral Deposits

Australian Mines and Mineral Deposits

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 Australia is a leading global producer of 19 valuable minerals, sourced from over 350 active mines. This podcast will summarise the geology of important mines and mineral deposits in Australia.Geoscience Podcasts Science Sciences de la Terre
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    • Unearthing Critical Minerals: The Story of Australia's Nolans Bore Rare Earth Deposit

      Unearthing Critical Minerals: The Story of Australia's Nolans Bore Rare Earth Deposit
      Jun 13 2025
      Join us as we delve into the heart of Australia's Northern Territory to explore the Nolans Project, a globally significant rare earth elements (REE) venture. We'll uncover its vast resources, unique geological origins, and the intricate processes involved in bringing these critical minerals to market. From its "shovel-ready" status to the deep scientific debates about its formation, this episode sheds light on a project poised to supply a significant proportion of the world's NdPr demand for high-performance magnets.Introduction to the Nolans ProjectLocation & Purpose: Situated 135 km north of Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory, the Nolans Project is designed to mine and process a rare earths-phosphate-uranium-thorium (REE-P-U-Th) deposit. Its primary goal is to become a major global supplier of Neodymium-Praseodymium (NdPr) oxides.Global Significance: The project has the potential to supply approximately 4% of the world's NdPr oxide demand, critical for high-performance NdFeB permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and robotics.Australian Domicile Advantage: Benefits from its Australian location and proximity to existing transport, water, and energy infrastructure. It's also recognized with Australian Government's Major Project Status.Resources & Reserves at Nolans BoreOre Reserves: As of March 2020, JORC 2012-compliant Ore Reserves total 29.5 Mt at 2.9% TREO and 13% P2O5, with 26.4% NdPr enrichment.Mine Life: The mining inventory can support operations for 38 years at a design capacity of 340,000 tonnes of concentrate production per annum. The project overview suggests a mine life of at least 23 years.Mining & Processing OperationsIntegrated Facilities: The project encompasses a mine, process plant (beneficiation, extraction, and separation plants), and related infrastructure at the Nolans site.Product Output: It will produce two final rare earth products for export: 4,440 tonnes per annum of NdPr oxide and 470 tonnes per annum of a mixed middle-heavy rare earth (SEG/HRE) oxide. Phosphoric acid will also be produced as a by-product, enhancing project economics.Geological Origin and Post-Depositional History of Nolans BoreDeposit Type: Nolans Bore is a hydrothermal stockwork vein-style REE-phosphate-uranium deposit.Host Rocks: It is primarily hosted by granitic gneiss of the Boothby Orthogneiss (~1806 Ma) and metasedimentary rocks like the Lander Rock Formation.Primary Mineralization Age: Allanite Th-Pb dating yields an age of 1525 ± 18 Ma, interpreted as the minimum age of mineralization. A pre-mineralization pegmatite gives a maximum age of ~1550 Ma. Thorianite dating also supports a primary formation age of 1521 ± 54 Ma.Radiogenic Heating: The high concentrations of Th (~2500 ppm) and U (~190 ppm U3O8) in the deposit produce substantial radiogenic heat (~270 µW/m3), which likely maintained elevated local temperatures (>300°C) for prolonged periods, contributing to the repeated isotopic disturbances observed.Multiple Reworking Events: The deposit has a long and complex history of (re)crystallization and isotopic resetting, with various ages recorded well after primary formation.Sources:Austalian Mines AtlasNolans Rare Earth Element Deposit Summary ReportPorterGeo Database - Nolans BoreArafura Rare Earths LimitedThe Fluorapatite P–REE–Th Vein Deposit at Nolans Bore: Genesis by Carbonatite MetasomatismREE Redistribution Textures in Altered Fluorapatite: Symplectites, Veins, and Phosphate-Silicate-Carbonate Assemblages from the Nolans Bore P-REE-Th Deposit, Northern Territory, AustraliaThe Nolans Bore rare-earth element-phosphorus-uranium mineral system: geology, origin and post-depositional modificationsGenesis of the central zone of the Nolans Bore rare earth element deposit, Northern Territory, AustraliaDisclaimer:AI generated content created using Google's NotebookLM.
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      27 min
    • Mount Weld Rare Earth Element Deposit, Western Australia

      Mount Weld Rare Earth Element Deposit, Western Australia
      Jun 11 2025
      Join us as we delve into the fascinating geological story of the Mount Weld carbonatite complex in Western Australia, home to one of the world's richest Rare Earth Element (REE) deposits. We'll explore its discovery, unique geological setting, the intricate processes of weathering that led to its extraordinary enrichment, and the diverse mineralogy that makes it a critical source for modern technologies.Discovery and Significance:The Mount Weld carbonatite was first discovered in 1967 following a regional aeromagnetic survey in 1966, which revealed a pronounced magnetic anomaly associated with a large circular structure hidden beneath alluvial sediments.Initially targeted for niobium, uranium, and phosphate, interest in Rare Earth Elements began in 1988.Mount Weld is now a world-class REE deposit, ranking among the highest-grade globally, with current proven ore reserves averaging 8.3% Total Rare Earth Oxides (TREO). It's one of the most strategically important REE mines outside China.Mining commenced in 2011, with concentrates shipped to Malaysia for refining into high-quality rare earth minerals.A Journey Through Time: Geological Setting & Formation:Located 250 km northeast of Kalgoorlie, Mount Weld is a Paleoproterozoic carbonatite intrusion within the Archean Yilgarn Craton's Eastern Goldfields Province.The carbonatite complex is generally described as a steeply plunging maar-type diatreme or cylindrical body, 3-4 km in diameter, intruding into volcano-sedimentary greenstones.Its age is well-constrained around 2.06 Ga (specifically 2056 ± 67 Ma based on monazite Th-Pb dating). This age coincides with a regional tectono-magmatic event that produced alkaline ultramafic-mafic igneous rocks and kimberlites in the area.The complex exhibits a distinct geological architecture: a central magnesio- to ferrocarbonatite core (~600 m diameter) rich in REE, surrounded by a broad (~1-1.5 km) calciocarbonatite annulus with higher niobium concentrations. This structure is strikingly similar to other major global carbonatite complexes like Ngualla and Mirima Hill.Primary REE mineralization within the fresh carbonatite is primarily found in the central magnesio- to ferrocarbonatite, with monazite and late magmatic REE fluorocarbonates (synchysite/bastnäsite). Experimental studies show REE solubilities in carbonatite melts can be high (up to >10 wt%), suggesting magmatic processes played a significant role in the initial REE enrichment.The Power of Weathering: Supergene Enrichment:The current economic REE resources are almost exclusively hosted within a thick lateritic regolith (weathering profile) overlying the carbonatite, ranging from 10 to over 120 meters in thickness.This weathering profile developed post-Permian glaciation and prior to Eocene lacustrine sediments, suggesting a formation period during the Late Mesozoic to Early Cenozoic.The extreme REE enrichment (up to 50% TREO in grab samples) is largely attributed to long-term leaching and redeposition by groundwater movement.The highest REE concentrations occur in a central topographic low of the laterite, indicating significant lateral REE mobility towards this "solution sink hole".Studies indicate a ~5x upgrade in REE (and Nb) concentrations from the primary carbonatite to the overlying paleoregolith, with minimal horizontal migration of ore elements on a complex scale during weathering. This means the regolith broadly reflects the underlying carbonatite's trace element signatureSources:Australian Mines AtlasMount Weld Deposit Summary ReportPorterGeo Database - Mount WeldThe primary geology of the Paleoproterozoic Mt Weld Carbonatite Complex, Western AustraliaMineralogy and Distribution of REE in Oxidised Ores of the Mount Weld Laterite Deposit, Western AustraliaDisclaimer:AI generated content created using Google's NotebookLM.
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      18 min
    • Understanding Rare-Earth Elements – From Earth to Industry

      Understanding Rare-Earth Elements – From Earth to Industry
      Jun 5 2025
      In this episode, we dive into the fascinating world of Rare-Earth Elements (REEs), a group of seventeen specialty metals crucial for high-technology industries due to their unique chemical, magnetic, and luminescent properties. We'll explore where these vital elements are found, how they are classified, and the complex processes involved in extracting them from the Earth.What are Rare-Earth Elements?REEs include the lanthanide series (lanthanum to lutetium) and yttrium, with scandium also often discussed in this group.They are strategically important commodities, increasingly attractive targets for the mineral industry.REEs are used in various applications, such as high-strength permanent magnets, catalysts for petroleum refining, metal and glass additives, and phosphors used in electronic displays.Australian REE Deposits and Geological SettingsAustralia holds significant REE resources, found in diverse geological environments including igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.Elevated concentrations of REEs have been documented in various deposit types, including: Heavy-mineral sand deposits (beach, dune, marine tidal, and channel); Carbonatite intrusions and (per)alkaline igneous rocks, Iron-oxide breccia complexes and calc-silicate rocks (skarns); Fluorapatite veins, pegmatites, phosphorites, fluviatile sandstones, unconformity-related uranium deposits, and lignites.The mineral-system approach is used to classify major Australian REE deposits. This framework helps understand the geological processes critical for deposit formation and aids in identifying new areas for mineralization.The highest level of this classification includes four general 'mineral-system association' categories: regolith, basinal, metamorphic, and magmatic.Key REE-Bearing MineralsThe only REE-bearing minerals commercially extracted on a large scale are bastnäsite, monazite, and xenotime.Bastnäsite: A cerium-type mineral that is a major source of light rare earth elements (LREEs).Monazite: A phosphate mineral, primarily a cerium-type mineral rich in Ce, La, Pr, and Nd. It also contains thorium and variable amounts of uranium.Xenotime: A yttrium phosphate mineral that is a major source of heavy rare earth elements (HREEs). It is often found with monazite and extracted as a by-product.Ion-adsorbed clays are also important sources of HREEs, occurring as rare earth element ions.Other REE-bearing minerals, such as eudialyte, synchysite, samarskite, allanite, zircon, steenstrupine, cheralite, rhabdophane, apatite, florenceite, fergusonite, loparite, perovskite, cerianite, and pyrochlore, are also found, though only some are economically significant.Beneficiation of REE-Bearing MineralsBeneficiation refers to the processes used to concentrate REE-bearing minerals from raw ore.Common techniques include gravity separation, magnetic separation, electrostatic separation, and froth flotation.Froth Flotation is particularly crucial for complex ores, like the Bayan Obo deposit in China, where fine grain size makes other methods difficult.Flotation often involves using fatty-acid or hydroxamate-based collector systems. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the geological settings, resources, and beneficiation techniques for rare-earth elements, drawing on the latest information from Australian and international sources.Sources:Australian Mines AtlasGeological setting and resources of the major rare-earth-element deposits in Australia.The story of rare earth elements (REEs): Occurrences, global distribution, genesis, geology, mineralogy and global production.A review of the beneficiation of rare earth element bearing mineralsDisclaimer:AI generated content created using Google's NotebookLM.
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      45 min

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