Overview

Mine Type	Open Pit
Status	Inactive / Suspended
Commodities	REE
Mining Method	Truck & Shovel / Loader
Mine Life	...
Snapshot	In 2017 development activities were stopped for the project as well as research activities with various university partners and government agencies.

Deposit type

• Magmatic

Summary:

The Kipawa deposit is presently considered open both laterally and at depth, though to various degrees.

The association of radioactive mineralization with rare elements in the vicinity of the Kipawa Complex is likely to represent a polymetallic deposit type of rare elements (Zr, Y, Nb, Be, U, Th, Ta, REE and Ga) associated with peralkaline syenite occurrences.

Rare earth-yttrium-zirconium mineralization at the Kipawa deposit is contained in medium grained silicates disseminated in meso to mafic syenites and impure marbles (up to 20% per volume). Grains are distinct and generally well crystallized.

Three minerals are presently considered as an economical source of rare earths on the Kipawa deposit, namely eudialyte (a sodic silicate), yttro-titanite/mosandrite (titanite silicate) and britholite (calcic silico-phosphate) for rare-earth-yttrium. Minor apatite (a phosphate) is also present in places, furnishing some of the light rare earths. Vlasovite/gittinsite (sodic and calcic silicates) and eudialite (sodic silicate) were once considered as a source for a possible zirconium by-product, but this is no longer the case. Each of these is described in the sections below, followed by a short section on ore genesis.

While vlasovite and its alteration mineral gittinsite are spread in a fairly uniform manner throughout the syenitic body, this is not the case for the other minerals. Specifically, three vertically-stacked mineralized zones have been defined based on their spatial characteristics: the Eudialyte, Mosandrite and Britholite zones. Despite their name, the different zones contain a mix of potentially economic minerals. The name simply indicates the dominant REE mineral present in that zone.

The Eudialyte zone consists of intermixed eudialyte and mosandrite/yttro-titanite with trace britholite (usually identified as "honey brown mineral"). It sits near the top of the syenite body and is not associated with any large calco-silicate horizon. The Eudialyte zone represents 57% of the rare earth-yttrium resources.

The Mosandrite zone also consists of intermixed eudialyte and mosandrite/yttro-titanite but with a much lesser relative quantity of eudialyte and some added britholite. It sits between the Eudialyte and Britholite zone and is, in part, associated with the first major calc-silicate horizon. It incorporates 23% of rare earth-yttrium resources.

Lastly, the Britholite zone consists of intermixed mosandrite/yttro-titanite and britholite. It sits at or very near the lower contact of the complex and is mainly contained within the bottom calc-silicate horizon which almost always includes marbles. The Britholite mineralized zone is mostly fairly thin, discontinuous in grade and incorporates roughly 20% of existing rare earth-yttrium resources.

Mining Methods

- subscription is required.

Comminution

Crushers and Mills

Processing

- subscription is required.

Production

Personnel

Job Title	Name	Phone	Email	Profile	Ref. Date
.......................	.......................	...........	...........		Jan 16, 2024