Iron-rich volcanoes may hold vast rare earth reserves

Volcanoes that are rich in iron might be prime locations to find high concentrations of rare earth elements. Recent lab experiments have demonstrated that when iron-rich magmas experience volcanic pressures and temperatures, the resulting iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposit separates into two unmixable melts, one of which is highly enriched in rare earth elements (REEs).

As reported in a study published in Geochemical perspectives letters, laboratory experiments have shown that volcanic pressures and temperatures cause iron oxide-apatite (IOA) deposits to form, splitting magmas into two immiscible melts, one of which is highly enriched in REEs — up to 200 times more concentrated than in the silicate-rich melts.

Shengchao Yan, a doctoral student at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and lead researcher on the study, explained that when magmatic mixtures are subjected to volcanic conditions, they separate into two distinct components: an iron phosphate (FeP) melt and a silicate melt. This process results in REEs becoming concentrated in the IOA deposits.

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