China: Chinese geologists have discovered two new minerals in the world’s largest earth minerals mine in northern China. The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) announced that the two new niobium and scandium minerals were discovered in Bayan Obo in the Inner Mongolia Independent Region. The two new niobium and scandium minerals are called obiobite and scandio-fluoro-ackermanite. The mines under the administration of Baotou city have the largest ever deposits of rare earth minerals.
What are the names of rare minerals?
Both niobium and scandium are very important metals. Niobium is mainly used in special steel, superconducting materials and aerospace industries. Scandium is used especially in aluminum-scandium alloy metal and solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). The Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) said that the International Mineral Association has approved the naming of these two minerals.
Can be used in these areas
CAS Institute of Geology and Geophysics said that by testing these new minerals, they can be used in areas like aerospace, national defense and military industry.
Li Jiao, general manager of Inner Mongolia Baotou Steel Union Company Limited, a major Chinese steel manufacturer, said that Bayan Obo has abundant iron, niobium, scandium, thorium and fluorite. Since 1959, 18 new minerals have been discovered in this deposit. He said that obiobite and scandio-fluoro-akkermanite are the 19th and 20th minerals discovered here.
Size of both minerals
According to Fan Hongrui, a researcher at the CAS Institute of Geology and Geophysics, obiobite is yellow and brown in colour. He said that it is plate-like, with a size of 20 to 100 micrometres. Scandio-fluoro-akermanite is light yellow or light blue in colour, with a size of up to 350 micrometres.
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