Eudialyte
Eudialyte
Eudialyte is a complex zirconosilicate mineral found in peralkaline igneous rocks. It contains a diverse mix of rare earth elements along with zirconium, hafnium, and niobium. The Kvanefjeld and Tanbreez deposits in Greenland are among the largest known eudialyte resources. It is notable as a potential source of both LREEs and HREEs.
Processing
DifficultyHigh
Processing & Metallurgy
Eudialyte is notoriously difficult to process due to silica gel formation during acid leaching, which impedes solid-liquid separation. Research into novel hydrometallurgical methods is ongoing to overcome this challenge.