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Rare Earth Element Deposits and Their Prospects in the Democratic Republic of Congo

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Abstract

Rare earth elements (REEs) are a group of seventeen elements comprising fifteen lanthanides, scandium, and yttrium. They are not necessarily rare, though their occurrences as economic deposits in host rocks are not very common. They are enriched in carbonatites, alkaline, and peralkaline igneous rocks; mineralized pegmatites; and their respective placers and derived laterites, while other sources include hydrothermal veins, bauxites, and ion adsorption clays. REEs are used in high-tech and green technology devices, notably batteries, computer memories, permanent magnets, electric vehicles, smartphones, solar panels, wind turbines, speakers, and air conditioners, among others. The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is endowed with mineral resources. The occurrences of REE in carbonatite complexes around Lueshe, Bingo, and Kirumba have been reported. Other regions with REE potential include the pegmatite dykes in several locations, including Numbi, Manono-Kitotolo, Kampene, North Lugulu, and Kobokobo. Intensive weathering conditions, which facilitate lateritization processes, may enable REE enrichments in the lateritic profiles and placers associated with these carbonatites, mineralized pegmatites, and peralkaline igneous massifs. The alluvial placers of Kabengelwa, Mashabuto, and Obaye that are enriched in monazite and rare earth minerals are typical examples of placer deposits. With more research and exploration, the DRC could be a hub for future REE projects.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the African Union for financial support through the Pan African University scholarship. The first author is grateful for the Else-Kröener-Fresenius-Stiftung and the BEBUC scholarship program. We are grateful to the anonymous reviewers, Prof. Harald Dill and the Section Editor, Dr Virginia McLemore, for their comments which greatly improved the manuscript of this paper. This work is part of the first author’s PhD thesis.

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The Pan African University scholarship and the Else Kröner-Fresenius-Stiftung

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  1. Department of Geoscience, Pan African University - Life and Earth Sciences Institute (Including Health & Agriculture), University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Georges M. Kasay, Anthony T. Bolarinwa & Olawale K. Aromolaran

  2. Département de Géologie, Université Officielle de Ruwenzori, Butembo, Democratic Republic of Congo

    Georges M. Kasay & Alain S. Kivava

  3. Département de Géologie, Université Officielle de Bukavu, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo

    Charles Nzolang

  4. Département de Géologie, Université de Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

    Alain S. Kivava

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Correspondence to Georges M. Kasay.

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Kasay, G.M., Bolarinwa, A.T., Aromolaran, O.K. et al. Rare Earth Element Deposits and Their Prospects in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mining, Metallurgy & Exploration 39, 625–642 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42461-022-00551-x

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