Chinese researchers have mapped the complex geological evolution of Turkey’s Kizilcaoren deposit, offering fresh insights into the country’s most significant known rare earth reserve while dampening expectations over its commercial potential.
Although the findings shed light on how rare earth elements accumulate in carbonatite-related formations, the researchers concluded that the site was unlikely to emerge as a major global alternative to existing producers any time soon.
Lead scientist Professor Yang Xiaoyong noted that the deposit’s mineralisation was “small in scale” and “still far from reaching the large scale of rare earth deposits”. The findings point to the steep geological and economic barriers nations face as they attempt to diversify their sources of critical minerals.
“So far, there is no evidence that Turkey or other countries in the Middle East have substantial rare earth deposits,” Yang, a professor at the University of Science and Technology of China and Hebei GEO University, said in an interview with the South China Morning Post.