The carbonate geology of the critical metal niobium

该项目旨在了解关键金属Nb的主要矿石矿物焦绿石是如何在 地球的地壳。Nb仅从巴西和加拿大的碳酸盐岩岩浆中开采，尽管已被证实 澳大利亚资源。它用于建筑和运输行业的高强度钢合金。预期 研究成果包括了解碳酸盐中烧绿石是如何形成的，勘探工具的开发 寻找地表未露出的Nb矿体，并进行环境和环境调查 经济上可持续的从矿石中冶金提纯Nb的技术。这项研究旨在 以惠及澳大利亚的关键金属勘探和采矿业。

This project aims to understand how pyrochlore, the major ore mineral of the critical metal niobium, forms in Earth’s crust. Niobium is exclusively mined from carbonatite magma bodies in Brazil and Canada, despite proven Australian resources. It is used in high strength steel alloys in the construction and transport industries. Expected research outcomes include understanding how pyrochlore forms in carbonatites, development of exploration tools to locate niobium ore bodies which are unexposed at the surface, and investigation of environmentally and economically sustainable technologies for metallurgical extraction of niobium from ore. The research is intended to benefit Australia’s critical metals exploration and mining industries.