Join us as we delve into the heart of Australia's Northern Territory to explore the Nolans Project, a globally significant rare earth elements (REE) venture. We'll uncover its vast resources, unique geological origins, and the intricate processes involved in bringing these critical minerals to market. From its "shovel-ready" status to the deep scientific debates about its formation, this episode sheds light on a project poised to supply a significant proportion of the world's NdPr demand for high-performance magnets.
Introduction to the Nolans Project
- Location & Purpose: Situated 135 km north of Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory, the Nolans Project is designed to mine and process a rare earths-phosphate-uranium-thorium (REE-P-U-Th) deposit. Its primary goal is to become a major global supplier of Neodymium-Praseodymium (NdPr) oxides.
- Global Significance: The project has the potential to supply approximately 4% of the world's NdPr oxide demand, critical for high-performance NdFeB permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, and robotics.
- Australian Domicile Advantage: Benefits from its Australian location and proximity to existing transport, water, and energy infrastructure. It's also recognized with Australian Government's Major Project Status.
Resources & Reserves at Nolans Bore
- Ore Reserves: As of March 2020, JORC 2012-compliant Ore Reserves total 29.5 Mt at 2.9% TREO and 13% P2O5, with 26.4% NdPr enrichment.
- Mine Life: The mining inventory can support operations for 38 years at a design capacity of 340,000 tonnes of concentrate production per annum. The project overview suggests a mine life of at least 23 years.
Mining & Processing Operations
- Integrated Facilities: The project encompasses a mine, process plant (beneficiation, extraction, and separation plants), and related infrastructure at the Nolans site.
- Product Output: It will produce two final rare earth products for export: 4,440 tonnes per annum of NdPr oxide and 470 tonnes per annum of a mixed middle-heavy rare earth (SEG/HRE) oxide. Phosphoric acid will also be produced as a by-product, enhancing project economics.
Geological Origin and Post-Depositional History of Nolans Bore
- Deposit Type: Nolans Bore is a hydrothermal stockwork vein-style REE-phosphate-uranium deposit.
- Host Rocks: It is primarily hosted by granitic gneiss of the Boothby Orthogneiss (~1806 Ma) and metasedimentary rocks like the Lander Rock Formation.
- Primary Mineralization Age: Allanite Th-Pb dating yields an age of 1525 ± 18 Ma, interpreted as the minimum age of mineralization. A pre-mineralization pegmatite gives a maximum age of ~1550 Ma. Thorianite dating also supports a primary formation age of 1521 ± 54 Ma.
- Radiogenic Heating: The high concentrations of Th (~2500 ppm) and U (~190 ppm U3O8) in the deposit produce substantial radiogenic heat (~270 µW/m3), which likely maintained elevated local temperatures (>300°C) for prolonged periods, contributing to the repeated isotopic disturbances observed.
- Multiple Reworking Events: The deposit has a long and complex history of (re)crystallization and isotopic resetting, with various ages recorded well after primary formation.
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- AI generated content created using Google's NotebookLM.
