공고 • Dec 13
Lycaon Resources Limited Announces the Completion of Re-Processing and Review of Historical Magnetic Data by Southern Geoscience Consultants (SGC) At the Stansmore REE Carbonatite Project, (Stansmore Project) in the West Arunta Region of Western Australia
Lycaon Resources Limited announced the completion of re-processing and review of historical magnetic data by Southern Geoscience Consultants (SGC) at the Stansmore REE carbonatite project, (Stansmore Project) in the West Arunta region of Western Australia. Carbonatites are a type of igneous rock defined by their composition being rich in carbonate minerals, typically calcite or dolomite. They often occur as plugs within alkali intrusive complexes, or as dykes, sills, breccias or veins. They are generally associated with major crustal scale features in rift-related tectonic settings. Carbonatites may be mineralised with rare earth elements, niobium, phosphorus, tantalum, uranium, thorium, copper, iron, titanium, vanadium, barium, fluorine and zirconium. The identification of a mineralised carbonatite intrusion is a significant finding for the West Arunta region and given the presence of other intrusive bodies within the region enhances the potential for further discoveries with future exploration efforts. Carbonatite deposits are an important source of REE and niobium production. This includes the world's REE mine, Bayan Oho in Inner Mongolia, Lynas Rare Earths' Mt Weld deposit and the world's three major operating niobium mines. Niobium (Nb) is a ductile refractory metal that is highly resistant to heat and wear. Like tantalum, it is resistant to corrosion owing to the formation of a surface oxide layer. Approximately 90% of niobium use is attributed to the steel industry, predominantly as a micro alloy with iron. The addition of small, relatively cheap, amounts of niobium (much less than 1%) significantly increases the strength and decreases the weight of steel products. This results in more economic, beneficial products for use in the construction industry, in gas and oil pipelines, and in the automotive industry where weight savings result in increased performance and fuel reduction. Niobium, along with other refractory elements such as tantalum, is also used in nickel and nickeliron superalloys, particularly for applications requiring strength and heat resistance. Uses for such superalloys include turbine blades in jet engines within the aeronautic industry, and gas turbines in the energy industry. Niobium becomes a superconductor at very low temperatures. When alloyed with titanium (NbTi) or tin (Nb3Sn), it produces the superconducting magnets used in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanners, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) equipment and particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider at CERN (The European Organization for Nuclear Research). Niobium is one of a suite of commodities identified by the Australian Government as critical minerals, i.e., minerals (or elements) considered vital for the well-being of the world's economies, yet whose supply may be at risk of disruption. Niobium is essential for advanced technology.