The newly discovered niobium-rare earth ore (Dagele niobium deposit) in China associated with alkaline rock-carbonate complexes has greatly expanded China's potential niobium resource areas and exploration scope.

The Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Geological Survey of Qinghai Province recently discovered a new niobium-rare earth deposit (Dagele Niobium Deposit) associated with the alkali rock-carbonate complex in the Dagele area of the East Kunlun Mountains in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Researchers believe that this discovery shows huge prospects for mineral resource development. Relevant research results were published in Geotectonics and Mineralogy.

Niobium and rare earths are important strategic mineral resources in China. Niobium relies on imports, and rare earths are China's dominant minerals. At present, China has no niobium-rare earth mines available for large-scale development and utilization.

It is understood that niobium and rare earth deposits are widely distributed around the world and of diverse types. Among them, deposits related to alkaline rock-carbonate complexes are the most important source of niobium and rare earth resources.

Researchers introduced that the newly discovered niobium-rare earth ore coexisting with alkali rock-carbonate complexes in the Dagele area of East Kunlun provides an important opportunity for conducting research on the genesis and metallogenic mechanism of related complex bodies. These studies will also provide scientific guidance for subsequent mineral exploration work.

The Dagele niobium deposit is the first large-scale carbonate-type niobium ore resource discovered in China on the northern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Preliminary studies show that its grain size and occurrence form are significantly better than those of major domestic niobium deposits such as Bayan Obo. The discovery of the Dagele niobium deposit not only greatly expands China's potential niobium resource area and exploration scope, but also provides an opportunity to break through the bottleneck of "difficult extraction and utilization" of China's existing niobium resources.