Metallogenic characteristics and exploration prospecting of the 3R mineral resources in Sichuan, China

Minerals of rare earth and dispersed elements are key resources for energy conservation, environmental protection, information technology, biology technology, high-end equipment manufacturing, new materials, new energy and transportation in China’s 14th and 15th Five-Year Plans. Sichuan Province has abundant metal resources of rare earth elements and dispersed elements, but insufficient attentions have been paid to them and their total resources are unclear. This paper summarizes the geological background, distribution, and metallogenic characteristics of ore deposits of rare earth and dispersed elements in Sichuan. In the paper, the authors have analyzed typical ore deposits and element enrichment processes and estimated the total resources of 17 rare earth elements and dispersed elements, and proposed prospecting potentials in the future.