Cover Story
The REE mineralization belt in Bayannur, Inner Mongolia, is located on the northern edge of the North China Craton. The team led by Academician HOU Zengqian has established an innovative system of metallogenic theories for carbonatite-related REE deposits, developed an integrated exploration and evaluation system and created innovative multi-scale, multi-granularity geochemical survey methods for REE. By applying these methods, the team has found a high-valued REE mineralization belt within the previously unexplored region of Bayannur. For the first time, several carbonatite-syenite complexes were identified in the area, and their genetic mechanisms and crust-mantle mixing source characteristics were systematically determined. Through multi-method integrated exploration and rapid resource evaluation in the target area, a ~5 km-long high-valued REE mineralization belt was discovered at Wulanhada. A specialized REE exploration team was established to integrate the metallogenic theory with applied technology. The research achievement acquired by Academician HOU Zengqian, the Key Laboratory of Deep Earth and Mineral Exploration, Ministry of Natural Resources, ranks the first among “Top Ten Geological Sci-tech Progresses of CAGS in 2024”. (Photo by LIU Yan)
