Quantifying the recoverable resources of by-product metals: The case of cobalt

The long-term availability of mineral resources is crucial in underpinning human society, technology and economic activity, and managing anthropogenic environmental impacts. This availability is increasingly true for metals that do not generally form the primary product of mines, such as copper or iron, but instead are recovered as by-products (or sometimes co-products) during the processing of primary ores—also known as ‘companion metals’ (e.g., indium, cobalt, molybdenum, rhenium, selenium). These metals, however, can be of significant economic and technological importance, both to a mine's economics and in downstream applications. It is therefore useful to develop methodologies to estimate the “recoverable resource” for such companion metals, i.e., the amount that could, if desired, be extracted and put into use over the next several decades. Monitoring the supply and demand of these resources is important to enable the identification of any changes that may have significant repercussions for the global economy, technology needs, and the environment. Here, we derive an estimate of the recoverable resource for cobalt (Co), a metal used with increasing frequency and in larger amounts in modern technology that is mainly recovered as a by-product of copper and nickel ore processing and production; Co-only mines are few in number and typically small in size. Our methodology combines the reported size of ore bodies that host Co with measured or estimated Co concentrations in the ores within these bodies. The dominantly by-product nature of Co means that uncertainties exist for some of the Co grades as well as recovery rates; given this, we also split our total recoverable Co resource, using a resource estimate data quality classification, into high, medium and low quality data, depending on factors such as whether statutory resource reporting codes were used during resource reporting. This methodology indicates that a minimum of 26.8 Mt Co is present in current global Co resources, with 15.2, 5.6 and 6.0 Mt Co in high, medium and low quality resources, respectively. Applying typical recovery rates for different ore types indicates that ~ 15.9 Mt of this Co is recoverable, with ~ 10.7, ~ 2.6 and ~ 2.6 Mt Co recoverable in high, medium and low quality resources, respectively. This approach provides a basis for determining similar recoverable resource estimates of other companion metals, such as indium, rhenium, selenium, etc., all of which are of increasing importance in modern day life.     

The world's lead-zinc mineral resources: Scarcity,data, issues and opportunities

Lead and zinc keep humanity powered and sheltered, yet a comprehensive understanding of Pb-Zn resources in known mineral deposits has been lacking, leading to uncertainty over when we might expect the supply of these metals to face potential constraints. Addressing this, we compile an extensive database of the world's known Pb-Zn mineral deposits and provide in-depth analyses of their contained resources, ore-grades, economic value, by-products and geological settings. Our data indicate that at least 226.1 Mt Pb and 610.3 Mt Zn are present within 851 individual mineral deposits and mine waste projects from 67 countries (and one in international waters), at an average grade of 0.44 %Pb and 1.20 %Zn. The identified resources are dominantly present within sediment-hosted Pb-Zn deposits (490.6 Mt Pb + Zn + Cu), which contain the equivalent of VMS, Skarn, Porphyry, Epithermal and mixed sediment-hosted deposits combined, and 49% of these resources are reported in Australia, Russia, Peru and Canada alone. The reported Pb-Zn resources appear to be sufficient to meet global demand for both Pb and Zn until 2050, although this estimate is most certainly a minimum, as our case studies indicate a prevailing trend of deposits cumulatively producing well beyond their reported resources over time. Indeed, despite increasing historical production of Pb and Zn, estimated reserves and resources have also increased, and this is expected to continue.We also present an analysis and review of additional aspects affecting the future sustainability of Pb-Zn resources, including an account of the history of Pb-Zn mining, case studies and trends in reporting, classifications of the dominant Pb-Zn mineral deposit types, analysis of reported by-product companion metals, review of tailings resource potential and case studies on the numerous challenges in environmental management historically faced for Pb-Zn mining. These analyses, alongside our comprehensive resource data, indicate that the future supply of Pb and Zn is likely to be governed by prevailing economic, social and environmental factors, much more so than sheer resource constraints.     

世界主要发达国家在境外矿产资源开发战略

正矿业是世界各国国民经济的基础性产业,矿产资源不同程度地制约着各国经济发展的规模和速度。世界矿产资源的分布极不均衡,很多矿产集中在少数几个国家中看,如锰、铬、钴、钼、钒、铂族金属、锂、铌、钽、锆、稀土、钾盐、天然碱等13种矿产四分之三以上的储量集中在美国、俄罗斯、中国三个国家,世界上几乎没有一个国家的矿产资源是可以自给自足的。长期以来,以美国、日     

Critical metals in the critical zone: controls,resources and future prospectivity of regolith-hosted rare earth elements

The rare earth elements (REE) are a group of 17 metals that include the lanthanides, Sc and Y, which are critical for many modern technologies including consumer electronics, medicine and communication. One of the major controls on the concentrations of the REE in regolith material (including soils) is the abundance of these elements in the parent material. It is known that REE concentrations are largely inherited from the protolith rather than acquired during pedogenic processes but our understanding of how pedogenesis affects fractionation and accumulation of REE to produce potentially economic deposits of these critical metals is limited. This study provides a review of (1) the biogeochemical controls on REE distribution and mobility during pedogenesis and (2) the potential for REE extraction from regolith material. Factors that control mobilisation of REE during weathering include (1) the initial distribution of the REE in protolith minerals and the resistivity of these phases to weathering, (2) adsorption and absorption of REE to Fe- and Mn oxides, clay minerals and organic matter and (3) variations in pH and Eh conditions. We also discuss the relative importance of biogeochemical controls on REE mobility in soils in southern Australia, where REE concentrations are demonstrated to be largely a function of weathering of REE-enriched protoliths, the sorption of REE to weathering products and the accumulation of resistant minerals in soils.     

Deep-ocean mineral deposits as a source of critical metals for high- and green-technology applications: Comparison with land-based resources

Ferromanganese (Fe–Mn) crusts are strongly enriched relative to the Earth's lithosphere in many rare and critical metals, including Co, Te, Mo, Bi, Pt, W, Zr, Nb, Y, and rare-earth elements (REEs). Fe–Mn nodules are strongly enriched in Ni, Cu, Co, Mo, Zr, Li, Y, and REEs. Compared to Fe–Mn crusts, nodules are more enriched in Ni, Cu, and Li, with subequal amounts of Mo and crusts are more enriched in the other metals. The metal ions and complexes in seawater are sorbed onto the two major host phases, FeO(OH) with a positively charged surface and MnO₂ with a negatively charged surface. Metals are also derived from diagenetically modified sediment pore fluids and incorporated into most nodules. Seafloor massive sulfides (SMS), especially those in arc and back-arc settings, can also be enriched in rare metals and metalloids, such as Cd, Ga, Ge, In, As, Sb, and Se. Metal grades for the elements of economic interest in SMS (Cu, Zn, Au, Ag) are much greater than those in land-based volcanogenic massive sulfides. However, their tonnage throughout the global ocean is poorly known and grade/tonnage comparisons with land-based deposits would be premature.The Clarion–Clipperton Fe–Mn Nodule Zone (CCZ) in the NE Pacific and the prime Fe–Mn crust zone (PCZ) in the central Pacific are the areas of greatest economic interest for nodules and crusts and grades and tonnages for those areas are moderately well known. We compare the grades and tonnages of nodules and crusts in those two areas with the global terrestrial reserves and resources. Nodules in the CCZ have more Tl (6000 times), Mn, Te, Ni, Co, and Y than the entire global terrestrial reserve base for those metals. The CCZ nodules also contain significant amounts of Cu, Mo, W, Li, Nb, and rare earth oxides (REO) compared to the global land-based reserves. Fe–Mn crusts in the PCZ have significantly more Tl (1700 times), Te (10 times more), Co, and Y than the entire terrestrial reserve base. Other metals of significance in the PCZ crusts relative to the total global land-based reserves are Bi, REO, Nb, and W. CCZ nodules and PCZ crusts are also compared with the two largest existing land-based REE mines, Bayan Obo in China and Mountain Pass in the USA. The land-based deposits are higher grade but lower tonnage deposits. Notably, both land-based deposits have < 1% heavy REEs (HREEs), whereas the CCZ has 26% HREEs and the PCZ, 18% HREEs; the HREEs have a much greater economic value. Radioactive Th concentrations are appreciably higher in the land-based deposits than in either type of marine deposit. A discussion of the differences between terrestrial and marine impacts and mine characteristics is also presented, including the potential for rare metals and REEs in marine deposits to be recovered as byproducts of mining the main metals of economic interest in nodules and crusts.     

元素的地球化学性质与关键金属成矿:前言

正本专辑重点从元素地球化学性质入手,结合地质过程和区域地质及一些具体矿床实例的研究,探讨关键金属的成矿规律。包括22篇文章,内容涵盖钨、锡、铌、钽、钛、锑、铀、铼、硼、钼、铜等多种关键金属的成矿规律。矿床是元素异常富集的地质体,因此,元素在不同地质     

Natrolite,part II: Determination of deformation electron densities by the X-X method

A single crystal of natrolite, Na₂Al₂Si₃O₁₀ ·2H₂O (space group Fdd2), was studied by X-ray diffraction methods at room temperature. The intensities were measured in a complete sphere of reflection up to sinΘ/ λ=0.903 Å^?1. A refinement of high-order diffraction data yielded residuals of R/(F)=0.9%, R_w(F)=0.8%, GoF=1.40 for 1856 high-angle reflections (0.7≤sinΘ/ λ≤0.903 Å^?1) and R(F)=1.0%, R_w(F)=1.2%, GoF=3.07 for all 3471 independent reflections in the complete sphere of reflection. The X-X method was used to calculate deformation electron densities (DED) in natrolite. Within all tetrahedra, residual electron density-was found in the T-O bond directions indicating a considerable covalent contribution to the chemical bond. The range of the interatomic peak heights was from 0.19 to 0.34 e/ų in the SiO₄ tetrahedra and from 0.11 to 0.23 e/ų in the AlO₄ tetrahedron. The ionic contribution to the chemical bond manifests itself in the displacement of the peaks towards the oxygen atoms. Charge displacement due to interaction of nonframework cations with framework oxygen atoms as well as electron densities attributable to the lone pair orbitals in the water molecule have been observed.     

Mineral resources inventory in the northern part of haiti: A basic rationale for selecting areas of potential mining interest

Agriculture has always been the major source of income of the Republic of Haiti. Only in the late sixties did the Haitian Government decide to move toward industrialization and explotation of natural resources, but no reliable inventory of mineral potential was available. In June 1970 the Resources and Transport Division of the U.N. (now CNRET) undertook a structural analysis of the Caribbean with reference to defining favorable loci for ore disposition. One of the conclusions of this survey was that from the metallogenetic point of view, the Northern part of Haiti was a favorable area for prospecting for habe metal deposits, especially for copper. Those conclusions were acknowleadged with great enthusiams by the Haitian authorities, and they welcomed in July 1971 a UN technical adviser who outlined a first phase of exploration. Following this mission, a “Mineral exploration Project” was created by the Haitian Government with the cooperation of UNDP, and an area of 9000 km² was selected, based on structural, lithological, and metallogenetic reasons, as an exploration target. The most important aspects of this project were:Mineral Exploration—First Phase (1973–1974). The following operations were carried out by a small team: (a) photo interpretation at 1:50,000 and 1:200,000 scale, (b) geological reconnaissance at 1:50,000 scale, (c) geochemical reconnaissance (stream sediment) at 1:50,000 scale. The photo interpretation helped outline zones of particular structural interest and was followed up by ground control studies. Stream sediment geochemical reconnaissance was carried out over half of the project area, following the indications given by the photo geological interpretation. finally, combining all the data, five areas were selected for detailed follow up survey: (1) Terrier Rouge—Perche, (2) Vallieres, (3) Mont-Organise, (4) Limonade, (5) Gros Morne—Le Borgne.Mineral Exploration—Second Phase (1975–1976). The main zones of interest were reduced to a few hundred km² and porphyry copper type deposits appeared to be the most promising target. Detailed geological mapping (1:25,000 to 1:2,000) and soil geochemistry were carried out on the above mentioned five areas, the most promising appearing quickly to be Terrier Rouge-Perges, with porphyry-type copper mineralization. A geophysical survey (IP and Mag) confirmed the geochemical results. At the end of the second phase of exploration (December 1976) two of the five prospects of the Terrier Rouge area have been diamond drilled and appeared to be of potential economic interest. Because of the number and importance of the prospects discovered a third phase of exploration was deemed necessary with the purpose of continuing the detailed prospection work and drilling the other prospects. This third phase started in January 1977 and was expected to last until December 1979. This paper was presented at the International Geological Correlation Program (IGCP) Project 98: “Standards for Computer Applications in Resource Studies” held at Taita Hills, Kenya, November 8–15, 1977.     

A method for quantifying living roots of Spartina (cordgrass) and Juncus (needlerush)

Quantifying living roots in a marsh is a necessary but difficult task in wetland research. The two main difficulties usually encountered are distinguishing living from dead roots and processing a dense mat of fine roots. We found that living roots of salt-marsh plants release much more dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in boiling water than dead roots. Based on the finding, we developed a DOC procedure to quantify living roots of Spartina alterniflora and Juncus roemerianus. The DOC released in boiling water is a function of root activity, and the amount released can be used to calculate the living root biomass of a sample. The amount of living roots determined by the DOC method correlated well with the amount of living roots determined by the manual, sorting method (r² = 0.78, p<0.01). The DOC method is more objective, precise, and much less tedious than the manual sorting method.     

南岭中段锡资源总量预测

南岭中段地区成矿地质条件优越,是中国主要的锡矿产区,近年来的地质找矿又取得了新的突破.笔者从成矿地质背景分析、矿床类型划分人手,在成矿地质条件优越、锡矿资源丰富、矿床类型复杂及工作程度较高的区域,运用"三步式"资源评价方法,结合中国地质类比法及综合地质法等多源地学综合预测理论,采用MRAS资源量评价系统对南岭锡资源潜力进行预测.     

Mineral resources of high-tech metals in Russia: State of the art and outlook

Seven main ore-forming systems—porphyry and epithermal; orogenic related to granitic intrusions; magmatic ultramafic; volcanic-hosted massive sulfide and volcanic–sedimentary; sedimentary basins; related to alkaline magmatic activity; and placers and weathering mantles—are sources of high-tech critical metals. The following promising types of ore deposits containing high-tech critical metals as by-products are recognized: Cu–Mo porphyry, Fe–Cu–Au and Pb–Zn skarn, base-metal epithermal, volcanic-hosted massive sulfide, base-metal stratiform, various tin deposits, and placers containing rare metals including REE. The mineral resources of critical metals in Russia are compared with those known in other countries. The contents of high-tech critical metals in ores of some noble-metal deposits of the Russian Northeast are reported. It is shown that the subsurface of Russia possesses considerable mineral resource potential for hightech critical metals, which allows new enterprises to be created or production of operating enterprises to increase.     

吉林省东部贵金属、有色金属矿床的时空分布规律

将吉林省东部地区的贵金属、有色金属矿床在成矿作用时间上与全球性成矿事件及区域性成矿事件对比分析,总结成矿的相似性和本区成矿的特点及具中国特色的燕山期成矿的重要性,提出区内大型矿田(或矿集区)的空间分布特点及主控因素,对成矿预测具指导意义。     

锚杆临界锚固长度简化计算方法

假定锚固体与周围岩土体之间剪应力呈倒三角形分布,计算出锚固体顶端弹性位移;基于锚杆抗拔承载机制及变形特性分析,锚固体周围岩土体变形分析采用与抗拔桩类似的剪切位移模型,得到锚固体周围紧贴锚固体表面岩土体的位移;然后根据锚固体与周围岩土体之间的位移协调原理,推导出了锚杆临界锚固长度的简化计算公式。工程算例对比分析结果表明,其计算结果与实测值吻合较好,且计算公式简单易记,取值明确,适用于工程设计中估算锚杆临界锚固长度。     

Conservation laws and invariants of motion for nonlinear internal waves: part II

In this paper, we derive three conservation laws and three invariants of motion for the generalized Gardner equation. These conserved quantities for internal waves are the momentum, energy, and Hamiltonian. The approach used for the derivation of these conservation laws and their associated invariants of motion is direct and does not involve the use of variational principles. It can be easily applied for finding similar invariants of motion for other general types of KdV, Gardner, and Boussinesq equations. The stability and conservation properties of discrete schemes for the simulations of internal waves propagation can be assessed and monitored using the analytical expressions of the constants of motion that are derived in this work.     

Assessment of atmospheric particulate matter and heavy metals: a critical review

This paper gives detailed comprehensive review of atmospheric assessment of particulate matter and heavy metals. Previous research works executed on this subject matter in the past four decades were adequately scrutinized. Various equipments for assessing atmospheric particulate matter and heavy metals were presented. Mathematical modeling equations for source apportionment and characterization, deposition rate prediction and health risk characterization of PM₁₀ were also presented. However, the following conclusions were made: (1) there is need for improvement on the mathematical models by reducing the number of assumptions made in developing them. (2) Comparative analysis of concentrations of heavy metals in the atmosphere under the same environment for different methodologies should be executed for accuracy purposes. (3) Cost implication of assessing, monitoring and controlling these unfriendly substances should be examined, and hence, involvement of cost engineers may be of immense help. (4) Further research works should be done on Air-Q 2.2.3 model currently identified as a new methodology for provision of quantitative data on the impact of particulate matter exposure on the health of people. (5) Compliance monitoring networks should be designed to ease data collection for the observables, locations and time periods that allowed receptor models to be applied. (6) There is need for much more research works that enable optimal control and regulation of emission of heavy metals into the atmosphere in order to reduce health effects of these inhalable substances.     

云南省稀土金属资源概况及成矿规律

云南省共有稀土金属矿床（点）10余处,其中,大型矿床3处,中型矿床3处,小型矿床2处;其稀土资源量位居全国第四。稀士金属矿产以独居石及磷钇矿砂矿为主,次为风化壳离子吸附型稀土矿,另外有一定量的伴生稀土金属资源。 机械沉积型砂矿共有4处,其中独居石大型矿床2处;磷钇矿中、小型矿床各1处。主要分布于临沧—勐海矿带的勐海地区,矿体主要赋存于古河床冲积砂砾层中,为层状、似层状、小扁豆状矿体,且多集中于第四纪冲积盆地的中部,向边部变薄;在含矿层剖面垂直方向上,有中部较富,上、下较贫的特点;成矿物质主要来源于汇水区内的海西期花岗岩。     

地质冶金学及其在金和关键金属赋存状态研究中的新应用

地质冶金学(Geometallurgy)是一门交叉学科,将矿体的地质学、地球化学和矿物学特征与冶金性能联系起来,目标是描述和了解矿体的冶金性质的多样性,并建立三维地质冶金学模型,用于协助矿山开采计划和优化工艺设计流程等。金矿石依据选冶难度可以分为易选矿石和难选矿石,其中难选矿石的原因主要可以归结为金的包裹和脉石矿物影响两种因素。金的地质冶金学需要查清金的赋存状态,包括金矿物的种类与矿石难选冶的原因,从而为选矿提供指导。金的赋存形态包括显微金、亚显微金和表面金,研究金的赋存状态需要使用自动矿物分析系统等分析显微金矿物,并结合多种选矿试验来交叉验证,加上对载金矿物中亚显微金的分析,得到金的全部分布特征。不同成因类型的金矿床往往具有不同的地质冶金学特征,同时金的地质冶金学研究还可以对矿床的成因和演化过程提供依据。本文简要介绍了近年来典型的热液金矿床包括斑岩型、浅成低温热液型、铁氧化物-铜-金(IOCG)型、卡林型和矽卡岩型的地质冶金学的研究进展,以及应用于地质冶金学上的新方法如VNIR-SWIR高光谱技术、地球化学数据机器学习。关键金属具有含量低、矿物细小的研究难点,与金的地质冶金学研究具有诸多相似之处,因此本文提出将金的赋存状态研究的流程和新技术方法应用于关键金属矿床,并设计了关键金属赋存状态的研究流程和规范化表达,进一步延伸了地质冶金学的内涵和外延。     

管涌与滤层的研究(Ⅱ): 滤层

对管涌和滤层两个相关联问题的研究和发展过程进行了综述和评论;同时也给出了过去的研究成果,并与之进行比较。在滤层研究方面,指出了由平均粒径一点控制到两点和级配曲线多点控制的发展趋势;研究表明:太沙基的滤层规格比较保守,应结合内外水动力学研究砂砾滤层和织物滤层的适用规格。而粘土的滤层设计,关键是看能否发生贯穿性裂缝,其设计思想悬殊;井管滤层的淤堵失效应研究抽洗复苏的良策。     

Silver-base metal epithermal vein and listwanite hosted deposit Crnac,Rogozna Mts., Kosovo,part II: A link between magmatic rocks and epithermal mineralization

Crnac is an intermediate sulfidation Pb–Zn–Ag epithermal deposit located within the Vardar suture zone of the Central Balkan Peninsula. The epithermal Pb–Zn–Ag mineralization consists of (i) a series of steeply-dipping veins hosted within the Jurassic amphibolites, and (ii) overlying hydrothermal-explosive breccia with angular (level IV) or rounded fragments of listwanite (surface) cemented by epithermal mineralization. The mineralization is related to the Oligocene quartz latite dykes that crosscut the Crnac antiform. Quartz latite rocks predominantly display a shoshonitic character. The obtained ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar age of fresh quartz latite is 28.9 ± 0.3 Ma. Fine-grained sericite from altered quartz latite is dated at 28.6 ± 0.5 Ma. Early, alteration related fluid inclusions within quartz latite show coexistence of high-density brine and a low-density vapor-saturated phase that homogenized at 280–405 °C. Phase separation occurs at a paleodepth of 0.6 to 0.9 km.Epithermal mineralization developed in three stages: (i) early pyrite–arsenopyrite–pyrrhotite–quartz–kaolinite; (ii) main sphalerite–galena–tetrahedrite–chalcopyrite and (iii) late carbonate–pyrite–arsenopyrite assemblage. The onset of mineral deposition within epithermal veins was initiated by boiling of Na–Cl ± K ± Ca ± Mg fluid at a paleodepth of 0.6 to 0.9 km. Coexisting vapor and liquid-rich inclusions display salinities and trapping temperatures of 4 wt.% NaCl equiv., 280–370 °C and 2–27 wt.% NaCl equiv., 230–375 °C, respectively. Boiling continued throughout the deposition of the sphalerite-galena-tetrahedrite-chalcopyrite assemblage. Late stage carbonate was deposited from diluted, non-boiling, low-temperature Na–Ca–Mg–Cl ± CO₂ fluid (0.2 to 4.8 wt.% NaCl equiv., 115–280 °C).About 100–150 m higher in the system, precipitation of listwanite breccia cement began as a result of boiling Na–Cl ± Ca ± Mg ± K fluid of medium salinities (2.6 to 12.1 wt.% NaCl equiv.) at temperatures of 245–370 °C. Boiling and dilution of fluids continue throughout the precipitation of the main sphalerite-galena-tetrahedrite and late, mainly carbonate assemblage. Surface listwanite breccia contain quartz phenocrysts deposited from a homogeneous fluid with a medium salinity (8–10 wt.% NaCl equiv.) and high temperatures (T_h = 295–315 °C), whereas the early and main stage of a surface listwanite breccia cement precipitated from a boiling fluid of decreasing salinity and temperature. Aqueous ± CO₂, high salinity (16 to 18 wt.% NaCl equiv.), low temperature (120 °C), homogeneously trapped fluid that precipitated late stage carbonates, is most likely a remnant of boiled off fluid. The epithermal assemblage of the surface listwanites precipitated at a paleodepth of 0.4 to 0.6 km.The δ¹³C values of the late stage ankerite range from − 4.2 to 4.1‰, whereas δ¹⁸O range from 9.6 to 17.5‰. The calculated δ¹⁸O of fluid that precipitated carbonates within epithermal veins, and listwanite breccia cement range from 6.3 to 11.3‰, indicating a contribution of magmatic water.Deposition of all mineralization types was initiated by neutralization of primary acidic magmatic fluid by water-rock reactions that caused widespread propylitization and sericitization. Extensive and long-lasting boiling combined with dilution by meteoric water increased the pH towards the final stage of hydrothermal activity.