Characterization of Rare Earth Elements and Mineralogy of Associated Clays Using Reflectance and Hyperspectral Spectroscopy at the Caldeira Deposit, Brazil

• Grant number: 25/20649-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: October 01, 2025
• End date: April 30, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Geosciences - Geology
• Principal Investigator: Diego Fernando Ducart
• Grantee: Juan Felipe Galan Palacios
• Host Institution: Instituto de Geociências (IG). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 25/07515-3 - MAXIMIZING THE USE OF HYPER- AND ULTRA-SPECTRAL TECHNIQUES FOR PROSPECTING RARE-EARTH ELEMENTS IN BRAZIL, AP.R

Abstract

Rare earth elements (REEs) are crucial for sustainable and low-carbon energy technologies, but their global production is limited, highlighting the need for new deposits and an efficient and effective way to study and characterize them. Reflectance spectroscopy offers a rapid and cost-effective alternative method for identifying REEs and associated minerals, as demonstrated by previous studies. This study will focus on the analysis of drill core samples, aiming to identify and characterize rare earth elements (REEs) and their association with clay minerals in regolith at the REE project hosted in the Caldeira ionic clay mine, Minas Gerais, using reflectance and hyperspectral spectroscopy in the visible-near-infrared (VNIR), shortwave infrared (SWIR), and thermal infrared (TIR) ¿¿ranges. This study aims to be a benchmark in the investigation of such deposits in Brazil using reflectance spectroscopy, given the scarcity of studies using this approach in this context. The study will assess the feasibility of determining REE content using reflectance spectroscopy for use in these types of deposits, identify the associated minerals, and understand their geochemical and spatial relationships. Furthermore, hyperspectral imaging will be used to map the spatial distribution of REEs and clay minerals on a detailed scale. The results will broaden our understanding of the genetic and geochemical processes responsible for the formation of these deposits.