Chinese scientists hope to gain insights into the formation of the most important rare earth mine.
Chinese scientists have discovered a new mineral that contains heavy rare earths such as dysprosium and yttrium. It was named after the place where it was found, Bayan Obo, the most important mine for rare earths. Bayanoboit-Y provides crucial information about the formation of the deposit and the concentration of these elements on site, China Daily quotes project leader Li Xianhua from the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The International Mineralogical Association (IMA) has already confirmed the discovery and naming, the newspaper continues.
Since 1959, 18 new minerals have been discovered in Bayan Obo, according to the Global Times. The region around the mine is home to almost 90 percent of China’s rare earth reserves and nearly 40 percent of the world’s reserves, the newspaper reports. Efforts have been underway to modernize and upgrade the quality of the local industry. In addition to the mine, there are also plants for processing critical raw materials. Their capacity is set to grow further while scientific and technological innovation is set to be expanded as well.
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