New Delhi | April 26, 2016: Indian geologists have found a rich new source of strategically important rare earth elements in Rajasthan’s Barmer district.
Laboratory analysis of the source rocks show the quantity of rare earth metals—needed in the nuclear and space sectors as well as in wind energy, defence, chemicals and electronics industry—may be of commercial interest.
Out of the 18 exploratory projects worldwide, the concentration of these minerals at the Indian site comes at the third spot. “In view of the high concentration of the rare earth elements, the felsite dykes of Phulan and the adjoining areas of Siwan Ring Complex area (Barmer district) form a potential area for detailed exploration for rare earth elements,” researchers from the Geological Survey of India (GSI) have suggested in a report. Rare earth elements are a set of 17 chemicals, which occur naturally in trace quantities, but are industrially important because of their critical roles in various applications.
The only commercial source of rare earth materials in India is monazite beach sands of Kerala, which is mined by the Indian Rare Earths Limited for extracting the rare earth materials for the nuclear sector. Other industries rely on import from China. With 95% of world’s rare earth taking place in China, the communist country controls the global trade on these minerals.
As China’s internal demand spiked up, Beijing squeezed the supply since 2010, compelling India to explore new sources.The area identified in Barmer district have high concentration of at least four out of 17 rare earth elements besides having other important minerals like zirconium, niobium, silver, thorium and uranium.
The rare earth concentration is very high in three out of the seven dykes that the team studied. While the GSI scientists refused to talk, others are upbeat about the new source.
“Its good news. Since the GSI has discovered the new source, it may be possible for private companies to take a mining lease to carry out commercial exploration. Our requirement is increasing,” B K Mishra, director of Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar told DH.
(Source: http://www.deccanherald.com/)