Two new minerals discovered in Bayan Obo deposit
2025-03-28 11:39:54 [Print]
On March 27, Baogang Group Mining Research Institute announced that its research team had discovered two new minerals in the Bayan Obo deposit. Approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature, and Classification of International Mineralogical Association (IMA-CNMNC), the newly identified minerals are "Oxyplumbopyrochlore" and "Xianhuaite-(Ce)." These marked the 22nd and 24th new mineral discoveries in Bayan Obo since 1959, representing another significant breakthrough in China's mineralogical research.
Oxyplumbopyrochlore is a brown-black opaque crystal classified as a niobium mineral. Xianhuaite-(Ce) is a brown-black translucent mineral and a newly identified niobium-rare earth mineral.
In recent years, as part of China's national initiative to drive a new phase of strategic prospecting breakthroughs, the Bayan Obo deposit has demonstrated substantial potential for new resource discoveries. Over the past four years, a total of nine new minerals have been identified in the region.
Oxyplumbopyrochlore is a brown-black opaque crystal classified as a niobium mineral. Xianhuaite-(Ce) is a brown-black translucent mineral and a newly identified niobium-rare earth mineral.
In recent years, as part of China's national initiative to drive a new phase of strategic prospecting breakthroughs, the Bayan Obo deposit has demonstrated substantial potential for new resource discoveries. Over the past four years, a total of nine new minerals have been identified in the region.
Niobium Conc. Nb2O5 50%min, Ta2O5 5%min, CIF China
Unit:USD/lb Oxides
China niobium oxide producers' sales to production ratio statistics by province by month
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