Mineral Resources Supply & Information with a Focus on Rare Earth Elements

Mineral Resources Supply & Information with a Focus on Rare Earth Elements Larry Meinert Mineral Resources Program, USGS September 12-13th, 13th, 2012, US-EU Workshop on: "Informed policy-making through improved mineral raw materials data" U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey

Mineral Resources The Big Picture Global Trends in Population, Iron Ore Production, & Consumption, 1990-2011 Production data from USGS ~4X more population than 100 years ago ~6X more per capita iron consumption than 100 years ago ~26X more iron ore production than 100 years ago

REO Production Trends 1956 to 2010 Sources: USGS Fact Sheet 087-02 updated with recent USGS Minerals Yearbook data

Global Rare Earth Oxide (REO) Reserves in 2011 By Country Other, 20% United States, 11% Australia, 1% India, 3% CIS, 17% China, 48% A total of 110 million metric tons of contained REO Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2012

USGS Mineral Resources Assessment

Mineral Resource Assessment Methodology Qualitative: The Assessment: A 3-Part 3 Process 1. Delineate permissive tracts for occurrence of each deposit type Quantitative: 2. Estimate number of undiscovered deposits in each tract 3. Apply global grade and tonnage models to estimate quantity and quality of undiscovered contained metal/resource. Reference: Singer, D.A., 1993, Basic concepts in three-part quantitative assessments of undiscovered mineral resources: Nonrenewable Resources, v. 2, no. 2, p. 69-81.

Mineral Resource Assessment Methodology Information Needed: Geologic maps* (determines scale of assessment) Mineral deposit models* (keystone to assessment) Mineral occurrence database (need accurate locations) Geophysics (subsurface information for tract delineation) Geochemistry (surface information for tract delineation) Remote sensing (surface information for tract delineation) Exploration history (How well has an area been explored?) * Minimum Requirements

Types of Rare Earth Deposits Carbonatite and Peralkaline Intrusive-Related - (71,000 tpy REO) These are very rare intrusive rocks found in rift zones and hot spots. REE-minerals may be rock-forming minerals or may be deposited by hydrothermal activity in veins. Residual (45,000 tpy REO) Intense weathering of carbonatite and peralkaline intrusives may form concentrated residual deposits or REE minerals. REElaterite in south China result from weathering of tin granites. Heavy Mineral Placers (4,000 tpy REO) Monazite, a common REE-bearing accessory mineral in igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary rocks, may be concentrated with other heavy minerals in placer deposits.

Mineralized Carbonatites and Peralkaline Intrusions

BAYAN OBO, China

Ionic Clay Deposits, SE China T. Tagaki, Geological Survey of Japan About 0.5 percent TREO in a readily leached form in laterite formed on tin granites in southern China. Many of these deposits are enriched in HREE. A significant source of REE, especially HREE, but resources are rapidly being depleted. Mining of these deposits in South China by undercapitalized small operators is environmentally problematic.

The Principal Rare Earth Elements Deposits of the United States A A Summary of Domestic Deposits and a Global Perspective USGS Scientific Investigations Report 2010 5220 http://pubs.usgs.gov/sir/2010/5220/

Mountain Pass Mine, Sulphide Queen Carbonatite Major Minerals: Calcite Dolomite Barite Celestite Quartz Bastnäsite site CaCO 3 CaMg(CO 3 ) 2 BaSO 4 SrSO 4 SiO 2 (REE)CO 3 F Abundant to Trace: Monazite (REE,Th Th)PO 4 Apatite Ca 5 (PO 4 )F Parasite (REE) 2 Ca(CO 3 ) 3 F 2 Strontianite SrCO 3 Widespread: Galena Talc Trace: Pyrite PbS Mg 3 Si 4 O 10 (OH) 2 FeS 2

Sulphide Queen Carbonitite

Mountain Pass Sulphide Queen Carbonitite

Bear Lodge, Wyoming As of January 2012 Measured and indicated resources: 6.8 million tons @ 3.75 % total REE oxide

Bear Lodge, Wyoming

Bokan Mountain, Alaska

Bokan Mountain, Alaska > 20 REE-Y, Nb, U-Th-bearing minerals: F-carbonates, oxides, silicates, and phosphates xenotime YPO 4 allanite (Y,REE,Ca) 2 (Al,Fe) 3 Si 3 O 12 (OH) britholite (Y,REE,Ca) 5 (SiO 4,PO 4 ) 3 (OH,F) bastnäsite (Y,REE)CO 3 F synchysite Ca(Y,REE)(CO 3 ) 2 F iimoriite Y 2 (SiO 4 )(CO 3 ) kainosite Ca 2 (Y,REE) 2 Si 4 O 12 CO 3 H 2 O zircon (Zr,REE)SiO 4 fergusonite (Y,REE)NbO 4 euxenite (Y,Ca,REE,U,Th)(Nb,Ta,Ti) 2 O 6 uranothorite (Th,U) SiO 4 uranothorianite (Th,U)O 2 monazite (REE,Th)PO 4

Bokan Mountain, Alaska Bayan Obo, Mongolia Mountain Pass, California Bear Lodge, Wyoming Bokan Mtn, Alaska China clay deposits, southern China La 31.81% 33.79% 29.28% 10.37% 19.30% Ce 49.42% 49.59% 45.86% 24.36% 31.18% Pr 3.61% 4.12% 4.42% 3.11% 4.05% Nd 12.67% 11.16% 14.36% 12.20% 13.52% Sm 1.28% 0.85% 2.43% 3.11% 3.82% Eu 0.21% 0.11% 0.58% 0.20% 0.34% Light REE 99.00% 99.60% 97.00% 53.30% 72.20% Gd 0.52% 0.21% 1.24% 3.47% 2.97% Tb 0.05% 0.02% 0.21% 0.60% 0.43% Dy 0.12% 0.03% 0.50% 4.19% 2.30% Ho 0.03% 0.00% 0.03% 8.69% 0.49% Er 0.03% 0.01% 0.06% 2.39% 1.44% Tm 0.01% 0.00% 0.00% n.d. 0.21% Yb 0.01% 0.00% 0.03% n.d. 1.08% Lu 0.00% n.d. 0.00% n.d. 0.16% Y 0.25% 0.13% 0.88% 27.31% 18.72% Heavy REE 1.00% 0.40% 3.00% 46.70% 27.80%

Bokan Mountain, Alaska * Bayan Obo, Mongolia Mountain Pass, California Bear Lodge, Wyoming Bokan Mtn, Alaska China clay deposits, southern China La 31.81% 33.79% 29.28% 10.37% 19.30% Ce 49.42% 49.59% 45.86% 24.36% 31.18% Pr 3.61% 4.12% 4.42% 3.11% 4.05% Nd 12.67% 11.16% 14.36% 12.20% 13.52% Sm 1.28% 0.85% 2.43% 3.11% 3.82% Eu 0.21% 0.11% 0.58% 0.20% 0.34% Light REE 99.00% 99.60% 97.00% 53.30% 72.20% Gd 0.52% 0.21% 1.24% 3.47% 2.97% Tb 0.05% 0.02% 0.21% 0.60% 0.43% Dy 0.12% 0.03% 0.50% 4.19% 2.30% Ho 0.03% 0.00% 0.03% 8.69% 0.49% Er 0.03% 0.01% 0.06% 2.39% 1.44% Tm 0.01% 0.00% 0.00% n.d. 0.21% Yb 0.01% 0.00% 0.03% n.d. 1.08% Lu 0.00% n.d. 0.00% n.d. 0.16% Y 0.25% 0.13% 0.88% 27.31% 18.72% Heavy REE 1.00% 0.40% 3.00% 46.70% 27.80%

Monazite-bearing Stream and Beach Placer Deposits

Policy Implications 1)World reserves are adequate but production is limited and dominated by a single source China. 2)Nine bills currently pending in Congress concerning REE 3)Future Federal policy to be guided by the work of several ongoing g White House (OSTP) studies: A) Critical Materials - Criteria & prioritization B) Critical Materials Information - Sources, gaps, needs C) Critical Materials - Long-term R&D strategy & needs D) Materials Genome 4)New and ongoing research USGS Genesis and Resources of REE Deposits USGS Annual Mineral Commodity Summaries & Minerals Yearbook