Diversity of Rare Earth Deposits: The Key Example of China

Abstract

Research Article| October 01, 2012 Diversity of Rare Earth Deposits: The Key Example of China Jindrich Kynicky; Jindrich Kynicky 1Department of Geology and Pedology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicE-mail: [e-mail] Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Martin P. Smith; Martin P. Smith 2School of the Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, BN2 4GJ, UKE-mail: [e-mail] Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Cheng Xu Cheng Xu 3Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking UniversityBeijing 100871, ChinaE-mail: [e-mail] Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Jindrich Kynicky 1Department of Geology and Pedology, Mendel University in Brno, Zemedelska 3, 613 00 Brno, Czech RepublicE-mail: [e-mail] Martin P. Smith 2School of the Environment and Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, BN2 4GJ, UKE-mail: [e-mail] Cheng Xu 3Laboratory of Orogenic Belts and Crustal Evolution, School of Earth and Space Sciences, Peking UniversityBeijing 100871, ChinaE-mail: [e-mail] Publisher: Mineralogical Society of America First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1811-5217 Print ISSN: 1811-5209 © 2012 by the Mineralogical Society of America Elements (2012) 8 (5): 361–367. https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.8.5.361 Article history First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Jindrich Kynicky, Martin P. Smith, Cheng Xu; Diversity of Rare Earth Deposits: The Key Example of China. Elements 2012;; 8 (5): 361–367. doi: https://doi.org/10.2113/gselements.8.5.361 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyElements Search Advanced Search Abstract As a source of strategic commodities for high technologies, the deposits of rare earth elements (REEs) in China are a world-class phenomenon. The combination of the world's largest accumulation of REEs in the Bayan Obo deposit and the low cost of mining the extremely valuable heavy REEs from residual deposits makes China almost a monopoly producer. Research on a range of Chinese deposits shows that not only hypogene but also secondary processes create economic REE deposits. These deposits have characteristic REE distribution patterns, which range from primary light REE enrichment in carbonatites from the Himalayan Mianning–Dechang orogenic belt and in metamorphosed carbonatite and polyphase mineralization at Bayan Obo, through unusual flat REE patterns in carbonatites from the Qinling orogenic belt, to strong secondary heavy REE enrichment in residual clays from southern China. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.