An international team, led by scientists from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge, has created a new global map of the locations of igneous rocks rich in carbon dioxide, which are the main source of rare earth elements.
According to an official statement from Cambridge University, researchers found that these rare igneous rocks, rich in terrestrial minerals, are closely linked to changes in the lithosphere, the planet's solid outer layer, revealing a remarkable connection to the oldest and thickest parts of Earth's continents.
Dr. Emily Bowman, lead author of the study from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge, says that the results of this study, published in the journal Nature Geoscience, can be used to guide the search for new deposits of rare earth elements, as our research has begun to provide a kind of predictive ability to identify where these rocks are formed, and therefore the associated rare earth element deposits.
On the other hand, researchers believe that this discovery could represent a major turning point in future exploration operations, as it gives scientists and companies more accurate tools to identify areas promising mineral wealth before costly drilling operations begin.
Rare earth elements are among the most important strategic resources in the modern era, as they are used in the production of many everyday and advanced technologies, including smartphones and clean energy solutions such as wind turbines and electric vehicles.
Much of the world relies on imports of rare earth elements from China, but countries are seeing an increasing need to shift towards domestic sources that are more secure and sustainable in supply.
Professor Sally Gibson, lead author of the study from the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge, said in a statement from the University of Cambridge: "There is considerable scientific interest in understanding why rare earth element deposits form where they do."
For many years, geological studies have focused on analyzing individual sites or specific mines, without developing a global model capable of explaining how these deposits are formed or predicting where they will be found.
In this regard, Professor Gibson said: "Previous investigations have mostly focused on the formation of rare earth elements in a specific location, or within a particular region, but we are expanding the scope of the research and exploring the issue on a global scale, while we look for deeper evidence that may explain the surface geology."
In the new study, a different vision was adopted, as the researchers dealt with the issue from a comprehensive planetary perspective by combining chemical data from thousands of rocks with seismic images that reveal the deep structure of the Earth.
A team of researchers has explored the chemical mechanisms by which rare earth elements are formed below the surface, specifically in igneous carbonatite rocks closely associated with rare earth elements.
The scientific team relied on analyzing about 9,000 samples of igneous rocks collected from multiple regions around the world, all of which contain high levels of dissolved carbon dioxide, in drawing the map of rare minerals in the world.
Dr. Emily Bowman explained that the goal was not just to study these rocks, but to use their geographical distribution to build a model that helps predict which areas are likely to contain rare earth element deposits.
On the other hand, the researchers showed in their new study that "these rare rocks and their modified and damaged derivatives provide most of the rare earth elements in the world."
According to the study, the team also mapped the rock data along with detailed information about the Earth's interior.
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