Weathering of carbonatite REE deposits (WREED): a critical stage in generation of critical metal resources.

Lead Research Organisation: University of Brighton
Department Name: Sch of Environment and Technology

Abstract

The rare earth elements (REE) are classified as critical metals because they are essential for renewable energy technology such as wind turbines, and for the development of electric motors for low carbon transport. Current government policies in the UK and globally are driving an expansion in use of these technologies, but the supply of the metals needed is currently limited and the increase in use cannot be met from exisiting raw material sources or recycling. There is therefore a need to investigate the formation of mineral resources for these metals, to determine the potential for new resources, and to improve efficiency and minimise environment impact in their extraction. Currently the REE are mainly extracted and processed in China, and the Universities of Brighton and Exeter currently have research links with Peking Univeristy in this area. This project aims to build and expand this research network, primarily by developing a new collaboration with the State Key Laboratory for Geological Processes and Mineral resources in Wuhan, and then by running workshops involving researchers from China and the rest of world, to define key research problems in the area, and build an international team to address them. A primary focus of the parternship will be to study processes of enrichment and separation of the REE during weathering of carbonatites (igneous carbonatite rocks). Current global REE supply is met from unweathered bedrock deposits in carbonatites, or from weather grantic rocks (sometimes called ion adsorption deposits). However, weathered carbonatites have some of the highest concentrations of the REE, and preliminary data from the Lizhuan carbonatite in China suggest that they may combine characteristics of carbonatite and ion adsorption deposits. This means there may be potential for developing lower environmental imapct (energy cost) ways of extracting the REE from these deposits. The project will study the mineralogy and geochemistry of these deposits, and use the data collected as the basis for setting up new international projects to further develop research on REE resources.
 
Description Joint with Chinese partners techniques have been developed to determine the age of weathering in carbonatite hosted REE deposits, to assess the ease of extraction of REE form these deposits and to understand REE behaviour on mineral surfaces. As weathering has resulted in some of the highest grade REE deposits globally this will assist in efforts to understand how these resources formed and how to find new deposits.
Exploitation Route The project has developed new techniques and identified key field sites for further study. The work will now be developed into more detailed research proposals by the UK and Chinese project partners, and an extended network developed through online research workshops. Links to industry have been developed through the workshops (mine operators and consultants), and the potential research needs of industry investigated vai the final project workshop. The expanded network developed through the workshops has already lead to applications to Horizons Europe (MSC global fellowship), and new research collaborations (Dr. Yan Liu, Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences).
Sectors Chemicals

Energy

Environment

Manufacturing

including Industrial Biotechology

Other

 
Description SCREED: Supergene enrichment of carbonatite REE deposits
Amount £999,990 (GBP)
Funding ID NE/X015114/1 
Organisation Natural Environment Research Council 
Sector Public
Country United Kingdom
Start 03/2023 
End 03/2026
 
Description Collaboration with Dr. Martin Li, University of Hong Kong. 
Organisation University of Hong Kong
Country Hong Kong 
Sector Academic/University 
PI Contribution Via meetings initiated following the result of the SOS:Rare project, and invitations to workshops as part of WREED, a new collaboration with Martin Li has been initiated. This has included preparation of an EU MSC global fellowship application and work in progress on a review paper.
Collaborator Contribution Preparation of an EU MSC global fellowship application and work in progress on a review paper.
Impact EU MSC global fellowship application
Start Year 2022
 
Description Enrichment talk to Colliers 6th form College, Horsham. 25/11/2022 - The rare earth elements as critical metals: minerals resources for the low carbon transition. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact An enrichment talk presented to geography, geology and environmental science students, with a discussion afterwards particularly focussed on environmental issues relating to REE extraction.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Invited PGR student workshop, China University of Geosciences - 'Secondary processes in the origin of REE deposits' 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact A presentation and question and answer session on recent research on hydrothermal, metamorphic and weathering processes in the generation of REE deposits delivered to a large cohort of PhD students. ~50 students from the China University of Geosciences attended. Detailed questions and discussion with students working in the area as follow upto the meeting. New collaboration with Kun-Feng Qiu, CUG, Beijing discussed.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description Invited seminar, University College London - The rare earth elements as critical metals: minerals resources for the low carbon transition. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Postgraduate students
Results and Impact An invited seminar to BSc, MSc and PhD students at University College London as part of a course on Global Management of Natural Resources. Follow up questions and discussions with students.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Keynote presentation - China University of Geosciences International Symposium on Continental Rift Systems and Magmatic Hydrothermal Activities. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Online keynote presentation to an international Symposium organised by the China University of Geosciences. 6-8/11/2023. Presentation titled 'The role of fluid chemistry in element fractionation in carbonatite-hosted REE deposits'.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2023
 
Description Presentation and Discussion at the UK-India Industry-Academia scoping workshop on Critical Minerals (Exploration and Extraction) as part of the UK-India Critical Minerals Partnership organised by the UK Government. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Presentation summarising results from the projects SOS:Rare and WREED, and presenting future plans for SCREED given as part of the UK-India Critical Minerals Partnership, organised by the Department for Business and Trade. Presentation to ~50 academic, industry and government delegates. Discussions around adding Ambar Dongar (India) as a new study site to SCREED and developing NERC Global Partnership Seedcorn fund bid.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022,2024
 
Description Presentation at 'Waste to Resources: Joint Meeting of the Applied and Environmental Mineralogy Groups, Mineralogical Society'. University of Bristol - The surface chemistry of carbonatite soils: Implications for REE resources. 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact Conference presentation at the join meeting of the applied and environmental mineralogy groups of the Mineralogical Society. Co-authored presentation with collaborators from WREED (Smith, M.P., Beard, C., Watkins, I., Broom-Fendley, S., Wall, F., Cheng, X., Yan, L., Chen, W., Kynicky, J.). Follow up discussions with academics.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description WREED Workshop on Weathered Carbonatite REE resources. 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact An international online workshop to allow presentations on the latest research on weathered rock carbonatite REE deposits. Included presentations from UK, China, Australia and Russia. The workshop was attended by delegates from academia and industry, from UK, China, France, Belgium, Chile, Finland, Australia, Russia, Namibia, USA. In total 42 delegates attended. Links to industry and academic groups lead to requests for further delegates to be included in future workshops. Addition of delegates lead to offers of further presentations. Discussion on different styles of weathering, differences between weathered rock deposits of Niobium and the REEs, on possible routes for dating weathered carbonatites in relation to climatic conditions of weathering and routes for characterisation of REE and Nb hosting minerals.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2021
 
Description WREED Workshop2 on Other Weathered Rock REE resources. 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact An international online workshop to allow presentations on the latest research on weathered rock REE deposits. Included presentations from UK, Czech Republic, China, Hong Kong, France and Chile. The workshop was attended by delegates from academia and industry, from UK, China, France, Belgium, Chile, Finland, Australia, Russia, Namibia, USA. In total 50 delegates attended. Links to industry and academic groups lead to requests for further delegates to be included in future workshops. Discussion on hydraulic controls on weathering, characterisation methods, ways to determine extent of regolith covering deposits.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022
 
Description WREED Workshop3 on feasibility studies and routes for new research. 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact An international online workshop to allow presentations of data from feasibility studies on new analytical techniques (XPS, LA-ICPMS U-Pb dating of authigenic phosphates, leaching studies) and to allow a structured discussion of future research directions in secondary REE deposits. Attended by 23 delegates from academic and industry from UK, China, Namibia, Belgium, Spain. Allowed development of key point summary of unknowns from a research and industry perspective, shared with all delegates from this and previous workshops. Lead to discussions of possible future joint research directions for core UK-China research team on WREED.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2022