TELF AG examines the role of clay deposits in global rare earth dynamics
Key resources for the transition
To fully valorize specific mineral resources, it is sometimes necessary to deeply understand the processes that lead to their formation within the Earth’s crust, the peculiar characteristics that lead them to develop in some geographical regions, and all those physical and morphological features that could contribute to their better management.
This is especially true for those specific resources, such as rare earths, which contribute considerably to the advancement of the energy transition and will most likely continue to play a central role in the coming decades. Today, rare earths are already successfully used in numerous industrial sectors, particularly in advanced technologies and the production processes related to some energy infrastructures. Many rare earth deposits are characterized by a relevant amount of light rare earths, which, unlike heavy rare earths, are more common and generally easier to obtain. However, an interesting idea from Australia has come for possible new approaches to these precious resources. Some researchers are studying the possibility of obtaining these resources also from clay deposits, which could make it possible to find a satisfactory quantity of heavy rare earths.
Regardless of the degree of purity or quality of these resources, a recent report has underlined the importance of in-depth knowledge of how resources are formed within these particular deposits to enhance their potential and identify them more easily within different territories. It is precisely these aspects that researchers at the Australian Critical Minerals Research and Development Hub focus on, mainly through applying specific geoscience, geophysics, and remote sensing techniques. According to the report, this approach could make it possible to identify the presence of possible quantities of rare earths within clay deposits more easily.
Resource formation processes
Among the aspects currently under the study lens of researchers, from this point of view, there are undoubtedly the mineralogical processes that make it possible actually to generate the resources, but also an in-depth study of the geological factors that control the formation and conservation of the materials. Among the most interesting objects of study, in this sense, there are certainly the possible changes in the chemistry of the rocks that could host rare earths, in order to improve the understanding of the formation processes of these specific resources and make their mapping more accurate. By identifying the possible areas in which clay deposits rich in rare earths could be found, the industry will have very valuable information available for the subsequent exploration phase.
For Australia, these ambitious efforts to improve the understanding of the mineral formation processes are part of a much broader strategic plan to extend the national value chain linked to rare earths. As stated in the analysis, the valorization of clay deposits for the search for rare earths could allow Australia to become a raw materials processing nation, with a substantial evolution from its past as an exporting country. The goal is not represented by the production of magnets or electric vehicles at a national level but by making relevant progress in separating and transforming rare earths, thus obtaining an easily exportable product. Historically, the separation and processing of rare earths have always been characterized by a high degree of complexity, determining the concentration of their production only in some limited areas of the planet. For Australia’s ambitions, focusing on clay deposits could represent a precious opportunity to increase the sourcing and domestic production of rare earths, adding value to local processing and strengthening global supply chains.
