Exploration and Geomodels for Rare Earth element pegmatite Targets (EGRET)

To achieve net zero goals, there is a global push to decarbonise energy and transport systems, thereby reducing our CO2 emissions and our dependence on fossil fuels. To achieve these ambitions and transition to a low-carbon society, the world will require a greater supply of raw materials to manufacture green technologies. This has a direct impact on raw material demand, which is expected to grow significantly to 2050. REE are recognised as a critical raw material by both the UK and Canadian governments; they are a key resource that is vital in the manufacture of permanent magnets, essential in the motors of wind turbines and electric vehicles. Demand for REE is predicted to outstrip supply under all decarbonisation modelling scenarios. The UK is completely reliant on REE imports due to a lack of suitable geology and is therefore dependent on strategic global relationships. REE are typically mined in unusual rocks such as carbonatites or alkaline igneous rocks, and production is geographically concentrated to just a few countries. China is the main producer of REE, but Myanmar, Australia, and the USA are all key producing countries. Although we are beginning to see diversification of REE mining globally, there is still a significant bottleneck at the processing and separation stages of the REE supply chain, of which nearly 90% occurs in China. This geographic, and geopolitical, concentration of production and processing reduces confidence in supply chains. Due to the essential role REE play in our current decarbonisation technologies, it is now vital that we develop a secure, resilient and diverse REE supply chain with high environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards. This can be achieved by expanding our geological understanding of other REE-deposit types and developing the necessary tools for exploration. Championing the move to diversify the supply base of REE, the Government of Saskatchewan has supported the Saskatchewan Research Council laboratories in Saskatoon to develop a REE processing facility, the first in Canada, laying the foundation for a REE supply chain with high ESG standards in the province. Although a monazite (a REE ore) supply has been secured from other locations, it’s now a major priority to secure a domestic secure supply of REE. The REE-enriched NYF pegmatites in northern Saskatchewan present an opportunity to provide a supply of REE that can be processed at the facility in Saskatoon. To compliment the ongoing research of our Canadian counterparts, we propose a package of research that encompasses two aims, to develop a new geomodel for the poorly-researched NYF pegmatites in northern Saskatchewan, and to develop exploration and fertility indicators for a low environmental impact, more sustainable, exploration multi-method toolkit for these deposit types. While developing these geomodels and exploration methodologies has a direct impact on the nascent REE supply chain being developed in Saskatchewan, this has wider implications. The geological understanding developed through a new geomodel is applicable on a global scale to similar deposits (e.g. Namibia, Mongolia) and can be used by international governments to understand REE prospectivity. Used in conjunction with the multi-method exploration toolkit, exploration companies will have the ability to target REE-enriched systems using low impact methods, especially applicable for sensitive environments and local communities.