First carbonatite hosted REE deposit from India

Based on geological mapping and grid channel geochemical sampling, a carbonatite plug hosted REE deposit has been discovered at Kamthai, Barmer district, Rajasthan. The main REE minerals hosted by carbonatite plug are bastanesite (La), basnaesite (Ce), synchysite (Ce), carbocernaite (Ce), cerianite (Ce), ancylite and parisite. The highest value of LREE is 17.31%, whereas, mean works out 3.33% and weighted average is 2.97%. The carbonatite plug covers 19475 sq. meters and the resources have been estimated upto 84 m depth under Proved, Probable and Possible categories. The total resource estimation for carbonatite plug and other carbonate sills, dykes and veins is 4.91 million tons, making this as truly world class deposit. The TMC of individual LREO (lower rare earth oxide) calculated for carbonatite plug only are La=52196 tonnes, Ce =66026 tonnes, Nd = 13663 tonnes, Pr = 5415 tonnes, Sm = 920 tonnes and Eu = 207 tonnes. Besides these REE, the Kamthai resource will produce 551 tonnes of Ga, 44 tonnes of Ge and 1,12,830 tonnes of SrO during its mining life. (author)