Client II – Joint project MoCa – Development of a production chain for rare earth elements from taiings of utramafic alkali-carbonatite complex Catalão (Goiás – Subproject 3: Life cy-cle assessment)

The ultramafic alkaline-carbonatite complex Catalão I is situated in the southeast of the Goiás state of Brazil. It presents important apatite, Ba-pyrochlore, barite, anatase, rare earth and vermiculite mineralizations. The main carrier of the rare earth elements is monazite with exceptional low contents of radioactive elements such as thorium. Currently, the complex is mined by companies due to its niobium, phosphate and barite content. The minerals of interest are mainly extracted by froth flotation. The monazite is deposited together with the other gangue minerals in tailing dams. Currently 200t/h of tailings with a rare earth oxide content of about 2-3% are produced. The aim of the research project is the development of a production chain for the rare earth elements from the tailings up to separated rare earth oxides.