Although the discovery of rare-earth elements occurred by accident at the Mountain Pass Rare Earth Mine, experts have found that this hidden desert has one of the world’s richest rare-earth deposits. Found in the town of Mountain Pass, in California, is a golden-hued scar that can be seen in the mountains, marking this beneficial rare-earth site. Even though the potential that lies in the mountains of Mountain Pass was uncovered in 1949, the site is rather significant as it could shape history.
Understanding the geology of this rare-earth site
Firstly, it must be noted that Mountain Pass stands as the only operation site of its scale in the Western hemisphere. Having said that, the deposit is hosted in carbonite rock that contains bastnaesite. Bastnaesite is a key source of rare earth elements. The discovery of the bastnaesite happened accidentally when three prospectors went looking for uranium at the site. Instead of discovering what they were looking for, they found bastnaesite, which contained the rare-earth elements found in many popular gadgets.
The site can be found atop a 1.7 billion-year-old carbonatite terrane that expands beneath the Clark Mountain Range. Although quite an ancient formation, it happened to be invaded by alkaline magmas, which led to the concentration of rare earths along fault-bounded zones.
For now, scientists continue to study the relationship between the carbonatite and the alkaline intrusions at the site, as this is essential for identifying further REE deposits in the area.
Transforming the rare earths into magnets for speakers
The rare earth elements found were exactly the same as those that had been used for magnets in speakers. For that reason alone, we claim that experts uncovered the desert’s hidden magnet forge. However, scientists continue to be drawn to this site due to its fully integrated production model.
Extraction, beneficiation, separation, and extraction are all carried out on the site, lowering all costs and ensuring better supply reliability. At this site, rare earth ore is mined as per traditional mining methods. After which, the ore undergoes milling and flotation to secure a high-value mineral concentrate. The process is mindblowing, but one of the best features of this site is that it is self-sustaining.
A self-sufficient site, making the site’s revival rather strategic
The facility can generate its own electricity and source water from on-site wells, making these mountains one of the most self-sustaining mine sites to exist. Aside from this, all mining endeavors are zero-net discharge operations that have no impact on the surrounding ecosystems.
Waste reduction and recycling are part of day-to-day mining operations, which reflect some of the core lessons learnt from prior mining phases at this mining site. Under current ownership, the facility has been re-commissioned and modernized, placing the site as an integral part in terms of the rare earth supply.
The renewal of activity at Mountain Pass is a rather strategic move that ensures supply security and reduces the reliance on external processing hubs. While China may have opened the “secret vault of rare earths, California has found a treasure chest of its own.
Mountain Pass remains a historical story that tells a modern tale
A trip down memory lane reminds us that Mountain Pass is so much more than a mine. It is the setting of a story of discovery. Due to the rare geology of this mine, the site remains a story that continues to unfold. With the demand increasing in this era of electrification, it is only necessary for this site to become part of the modern tale. To date, the desert rock will serve as an important component vital for the essential magnets that we need. This Californian forge will become more important for a future defined by the weapon underground in this state.