The largest rare earth reserves are found in China

The largest rare earth reserves are found in China, later followed by the United States, Australia and India. In China and the United States, the rare earth substance is contained in bastnaesit, which constitutes the largest resource component. The other substantial rare earth resource in the Bamboo Curtain Country results from absorption ore deposits of lateritic ion, which constitutes mustiness of granitic and sientic rocks in tropical regions, mainly southern China, while the resource in Brazil, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India and South Africa as well as Thailan results from monazite mineral inside secondary deposits. In Indonesia, the rare earth minerals are found along the tin lane in Bangka-belitung as well as gold lane in Kalimantan. In West Kalimantan, the minerals associate with uranium deposits. Data at the Geology Resource Center 2007 show that the monazite ore deposits in Indonesia total 185,992 tons. The potential is located in tin producer regions. In line with the rising exploration of tin, monazite deposits also increases. However, the quantity has not been known exactly. Globally, the monazite deposits are estimated at 12 million tons and two thirds of the total constitutes heavy mineral-sand deposits in India’s eastern and southern coast. Studies carried out by the Geology Research and Development Center of the Energy and Mineral Resource Ministry (KESDM) show that rare earth is also associated with uranium ores of the monazite type. The study has been applied to uranium ores in Rirang, West Kalimantan Barat. Study executed in Bangka Barat also finds rare earth substances Niobium and Tantalum. In the meantime, study in Kuala Kampar, Riau shows that there are several rare earth minerals, such as tantalum, zirkonium, neobium and yttrium. The existence of the rare earth minerals in the region is closely related to the tin deposits in Sumatra. Kampar and Bengkinang, Riau, kasiterit as the main product of tin mining with associated rare earth minerals, such as monazite, xenotim and zirkon are found. Source : majalahtambang.com