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Author: search.filters.author.Cristina Villanova-de-BenaventSubject: search.filters.subject.Bauxite

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    Rare Earth Element and Yttrium (REY) Hyper-Enriched Karst Bauxites of the Mercedes-Aceitillar Mining District, Sierra de Bahoruco, SW Dominican Republic
    (Society of Economic Geologists, Inc, 2026-02-23)
    Rare earth elements, including yttrium (REYs), are the most sought-after among the so-called critical or strategic elements for the low-carbon energy industry. In the past decade, karst bauxite deposits have been targeted as potential nonconventional sources of these elements. The karst bauxite deposits from the Mercedes-Aceitillar mining district, classified as Fe-rich bauxites and bauxites sensu stricto, contain anomalously high REY contents oscillating between 514 and 28,787 ppm (median of 1,489 ppm), making them the most REY-enriched karst bauxites globally. Most of the samples studied are enriched in light rare earth elements (La-Nd; up to 7,449 ppm) and Y (up to 14,830 ppm). However, the most REY-enriched bauxites yield particularly high middle rare earth element (Sm-Gd; up to 4,579 ppm) and heavy rare earth element (Tb-Lu; up to 6,163 ppm) contents. In addition, the studied bauxites contain significant amounts of other critical metals, such as Sc and Ga (median of 62 and 39 ppm, respectively). The mineralogy consists predominantly of Al oxyhydroxides (mostly gibbsite), with variable amounts of Fe oxyhydroxides and kaolinite. The REY mineralogy in samples with high REY contents (>3,000 ppm) consists mainly of REY-bearing phosphates (e.g., monazite, xenotime, rhabdophane, churchite) and/or carbonates (bastnäsite group). In samples with moderate REY contents (<3,000 ppm), the main REY-bearing minerals are Al oxyhydroxides, onto which the REYs are most likely adsorbed. These findings indicate that the potential extraction of REYs and other critical metals, such as Sc and Ga, in the studied bauxites from the Mercedes-Aceitillar mining district could add, on average, an ~20% surplus to the revenue obtained from Al2O3 exploitation. The unprecedented REY contents discovered in these karst bauxites from the Dominican Republic present a unique opportunity to unravel critical metal concentration mechanisms in supergene environments and to develop new geochemical models for nonconventional REY deposits.
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    Mineralogy, geochemistry and origin of karst bauxite deposits from the Reserva Fiscal Ávila, SW Dominican Republic: Mineralogy and geochemistry of the RFA karst bauxites
    (Universitat de Barcelona, 2025-05-07)
    The energy transition, which aims to reduce carbon emissions and to slow down climate change, demands an ever-increasing supply of the so-called “critical metals”. Rare-earth Elements and Yttrium (REY) are among the most critical metals, as they are indispensable in most technologies associated with the generation and storage of renewable energy. In recent years there has been a growing interest in the potential of karst bauxites as nonconventional sources of REY and other critical metals such as Sc and Ga. The Sierra de Bahoruco (SW Dominican Republic) contains the most REY-enriched karst bauxites globally. In view of the high potential for hosting important REY contents, the Dominican Republic government has declared the Reserva Fiscal Ávila (RFA), a state-owned area within the Sierra de Bahoruco for assessment and exploration of its REY resources. In this study, we present the first data on the mineralogy and composition of bauxitic rocks from the RFA. The bauxitic deposits comprise clayey bauxites and Fe-rich bauxites that are composed predominantly of Al-oxyhydroxides (gibbsite, boehmite and nordstrandite), kaolinite and Fe-oxyhydroxides. The bauxites are enriched in REY, with a median value of 1,310ppm and up to 2,542ppm, with a consistent enrichment in Light REE (LREE) and Y compared to Middle REE (MREE) and Heavy REE (HREE). The positive correlation between the contents of REY and Th, and negative correlation with K, makes gamma-ray spectrometry an appropriate tool for the exploration. In addition, bauxitic rocks from the RFA contain significant Sc (up to 105ppm) and Ga (up to 54ppm) contents, and their extraction could potentially represent a substantial economic surplus to the revenue generated solely from the aluminum production.
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