The First Discovery of Rare Earth Ore in Panzhihua

Rare earth ore has been discovered in Vanadium-Titanium magnetite area in Hongge Panzhihua city. Through the 1:50,000 mineral geological survey, the Permian (262.4~258.9Ma) igneous carbonate-fluorocarbon strontium mineralized alkaline complex was first discovered.

The rock branch or plant-like invasion is located in the vanadium-titanium magnetite or mineralized ferro-magnesia rock mass. Preliminary analysis of the rare earth ore grade is 0.3%~0.4%, and the Nb2O5 has reached 0.14%, indicating a good comprehensive utilization prospect. This discovery not only has a great importance of regional prospecting indication on rare earth ore, but also has significance to study the magmatic-mineralization and evolution process of the Emeishan large igneous province. It also has the indication value of deep carbon cycle process of earth.

rare earth ore image

Panzhihua and Hongge iron mines are located in the Panxi Rift Belt on the western margin of the Upper Yangtze Block, it is well known for producing large-scale minerals such as vanadium-titanium magnetite and crystalline graphite ore. In 2017, the China Geological Survey of the Ministry of Natural Resources deployed and implemented the “Sichuan Panxi Vanadium Titanium Iron Graphite Resources Base Comprehensive Geological Survey” project, which is attributed to the “East Tethys Metallogenic Belt Large Resource Base Survey” project, it consists of natural resources and was undertaken by the Chengdu Geological Survey of the China Geological Survey. The project lasted from 2017 to 2018. The main target task is to focus on the associated resources of graphite ore and vanadium-titanium magnetite, and carry out 1:50,000 mineral geological surveys, special environmental geology and hydrogeological surveys in the area to identify crystalline graphite ore and vanadium-titanium magnets. The mine is associated with rare endemic characteristics such as tungsten, strontium, gallium, cadmium, antimony, indium and antimony.

The first discovery of the Panzhihua Permian fluorocarbon strontium mineralized complex is different from the northern Suining-Dechang Cenozoic rare earth ore belt, which not only broadens the prospecting ideas of the rare earth ore in the Panxi vanadium-titanium-iron-graphite ore resource base. And the alkaline complex veins dominated by the fluorocarbon strontium mineralized coarse syenite-positive pegmatite are widely developed in the vanadium-titanium magnetite (chemical) body, showing the Panzhihua vanadium-titanium magnet. The rich potential of rare earth ore in the mining area will expand the comprehensive utilization prospect of Panzhihua vanadium-titanium magnetite.  

At the same time, it also has important scientific meaning for the study of rare earth ore in the Panxi rift environment on the western margin of the Upper Yangtze block.

The first discovery of the Permian igneous carbonate rock in Panzhihua has improved the records of carbonate rocks related to the Emeishan large igneous rock and alkaline ultrabasic rocks. It has important research value for deepening the understanding of the Emeishan mantle plume and revealing the magma evolution process of the Emeishan large igneous province. As a hotspot and frontier for studying deep carbon cycle and global climate change at home and abroad, the “rock probe” of igneous carbonate has the indication significance of deep carbon cycle and paleoclimatic change process.

 

 

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