Critical raw materials (CRMs) are crucial for the transformation towards low carbon mobility. However, their production is often highly concentrated in a few countries, which leads to supply risks. Exemplified by the case of rare earth elements (REEs) and based on in-depth interviews with corporate executives from companies along the automotive supply chain, this contribution provides insights into the strategies of the European automotive industry to cope with these supply risks. Results show a lack of awareness of REE criticality studies and their outcomes in the past, the decisive role of price competitiveness when pursuing mitigation strategies and a lack of willingness or ability to engage in rare earth (RE) projects to get access to production output and secure supply. Overall, affected companies struggle to pursue long-term oriented strategies to secure their need for REEs. These findings are discussed with regard to the new demand for CRMs due to the shift to electric mobility and the specific challenges that the automotive industry faces.

Eudialyte-group minerals (EGM) attract global interest as potential resources for high-field-strength elements (e.g. Zr, Nb, Ta, and rare-earth elements), i.e. critical materials for modern technologies. They are particularly valued for their relative enrichment in the most critical lanthanides, i.e. Nd and heavy rare earth elements (Gd–Lu). However, rare earth element (REE) substitution mechanisms into the EGM structure are still poorly understood. Light and heavy REE may occupy different sites and there may be ordering and/or defect clustering in the structure. This study uses X-ray absorption spectroscopy to determine the structural state of REE in EGM from prospective eudialyte-bearing complexes. Yttrium K-edge and Nd L3-edge spectra were collected as proxies for heavy and light REE, respectively, and compared to natural and synthetic REE-bearing standards. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure data yield best fits for Y in six-fold coordination with Y–O distances of 2.24–2.32 Å, and a second coordination sphere comprising Fe, Na, Ca, Si and O at radial distances of 3.6–3.8 Å. These findings are consistent with dominant Y3+ substitution for Ca2+ on the octahedral M1 site in all the samples studied, and exclude preferential substitution of Y3+ onto the smaller octahedral Z site or the large low-symmetry N4 site.

Using lattice strain theory, we constructed relative partitioning models to predict site preferences of lanthanides we have not measured directly. The models predict that all REE are favoured on the Ca-dominant M1 site and that preferential partitioning of heavy over light REE increases in EGM containing significant Mn in the M1-octahedral rings (oneillite subgroup). Thus, the flat REE profiles that make EGM such attractive exploration targets are not due to preferential partitioning of light and heavy REE onto different sites. Instead, local ordering of Mn- and Ca-occupied M1 sites may influence the capacity of EGM to accommodate heavy REE.

Sulfur-bearing monazite-(Ce) occurs in silicified carbonatite at Eureka, Namibia, forming rims up to ~0.5 mm thick on earlier-formed monazite-(Ce) megacrysts. We present X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data demonstrating that sulfur is accommodated predominantly in monazite-(Ce) as sulfate, via a clino-anhydrite-type coupled substitution mechanism. Minor sulfide and sulfite peaks in the X-ray photoelectron spectra, however, also indicate that more complex substitution mechanisms incorporating S2– and S4+ are possible. Incorporation of S6+ through clino-anhydrite-type substitution results in an excess of M2+ cations, which previous workers have suggested is accommodated by auxiliary substitution of OH– for O2–. However, Raman data show no indication of OH–, and instead we suggest charge imbalance is accommodated through F– substituting for O2–. The accommodation of S in the monazite-(Ce) results in considerable structural distortion that may account for relatively high contents of ions with radii beyond those normally found in monazite-(Ce), such as the heavy rare earth elements, Mo, Zr and V. In contrast to S-bearing monazite-(Ce) in other carbonatites, S-bearing monazite-(Ce) at Eureka formed via a dissolution–precipitation mechanism during prolonged weathering, with S derived from an aeolian source. While large S-bearing monazite-(Ce) grains are likely to be rare in the geological record, formation of secondary S-bearing monazite-(Ce) in these conditions may be a feasible mineral for dating palaeo-weathering horizons.

The Cretaceous Okorusu carbonatite, Namibia, includes diopside-bearing and pegmatitic calcite carbonatites, both exhibiting hydrothermally altered mineral assemblages. In unaltered carbonatite, Sr, Ba and rare earth elements (REE) are hosted principally by calcite and fluorapatite. However, in hydrothermally altered carbonatites, small (<50 µm) parisite-(Ce) grains are the dominant REE host, while Ba and Sr are hosted in baryte, celestine, strontianite and witherite. Hydrothermal calcite has a much lower trace-element content than the original, magmatic calcite. Regardless of the low REE contents of the hydrothermal calcite, the REE patterns are similar to those of parisite-(Ce), magmatic minerals and mafic rocks associated with the carbonatites. These similarities suggest that hydrothermal alteration remobilised REE from magmatic minerals, predominantly calcite, without significant fractionation or addition from an external source. Barium and Sr released during alteration were mainly reprecipitated as sulfates. The breakdown of magmatic pyrite into iron hydroxide is inferred to be the main source of sulfate. The behaviour of sulfur suggests that the hydrothermal fluid was somewhat oxidising and it may have been part of a geothermal circulation system. Late hydrothermal massive fluorite replaced the calcite carbonatites at Okorusu and resulted in extensive chemical change, suggesting continued magmatic contributions to the fluid system.

The Huanglongpu carbonatites are located in the north-western part of the Qinling orogenic belt in central China. Calcite carbonatite dykes at the Dashigou open pit are unusual due to their enrichment in heavy rare earth elements (HREE) relative to light rare earth elements (LREE), leading to a flat REE pattern, and in that the majority of dykes have a quartz core. They also host economic concentrations of molybdenite. The calcite carbonatite dykes show two styles of mineralogy according to the degree of hydrothermal reworking, and these are reflected in REE distribution and concentration. The REE in the little-altered calcite carbonatite occur mostly in magmatic REE minerals, mainly monazite-(Ce), and typically have ΣLREE/(HREE+Y) ratios from 9.9 to 17. In hydrothermally altered calcite carbonatites, magmatic monazite-(Ce) is partially replaced to fully replaced by HREE-enriched secondary phases and the rocks have ΣLREE/(HREE+Y) ratios from 1.1 to 3.8. The fluid responsible for hydrothermal REE redistribution is preserved in fluid inclusions in the quartz lenses. The bulk of the quartz lacks fluid inclusions but is cut by two later hydrothermal quartz generations, both containing sulfate-rich fluid inclusions with sulfate typically present as multiple trapped solids, as well as in solution. The estimated total sulfate content of fluid inclusions ranges from 6 to >33 wt.% K2SO4 equivalent. We interpret these heterogeneous fluid inclusions to be the result of reaction of sulfate-rich fluids with the calcite carbonatite dykes. The final HREE enrichment is due to a combination of factors: (1) the progressive HREE enrichment of later magmatic calcite created a HREE-enriched source; (2) REE–SO42– complexing allowed the REE to be redistributed without fractionation; and (3) secondary REE mineralisation was dominated by minerals such as HREE-enriched fluorocarbonates, xenotime-(Y) and churchite-(Y) whose crystal structures tends to favour HREE.

The Good Hope carbonatite is located adjacent to the Prairie Lake alkaline rock and carbonatite complex in northwestern Ontario. The occurrence is a heterolithic breccia consisting of diverse calcite, dolomite and ferrodolomite carbonatites containing clasts of magnesio-arfvedsonite + potassium feldspar, phlogopite + potassium feldspar together with pyrochlore-bearing apatitite clasts. The apatitite occurs as angular, boudinaged and schlieren clasts up to 5 cm in maximum dimensions. In these pyrochlore occurs principally as euhedral single crystals (0.1–1.5 cm) and can comprise up to 25 vol.% of the clasts. Individual clasts contain compositionally- and texturally-distinct suites of pyrochlore. The pyrochlores are hosted by small prismatic crystals of apatite (~100–500 μm × 10–25 μm) that are commonly flow-aligned and in some instances occur as folds. Allotriogranular cumulate textures are not evident in the apatitites. The fluorapatite does not exhibit compositional zonation under back-scattered electron spectroscopy, although ultraviolet and cathodoluminescence imagery shows distinct cores with thin (<50 μm) overgrowths. Apatite lacks fluid or solid inclusions of other minerals. The apatite is rich in Sr (7030–13,000 ppm) and rare earth elements and exhibits depletions in La, Ce, Pr and Nd (La/NdCN ratios (0.73–1.14) relative to apatite in cumulate apatitites (La/NdCN > 1.5) in the adjacent Prairie Lake complex. The pyrochlore are primarily Na–Ca pyrochlore of relatively uniform composition and minor Sr contents (<2 wt.% SrO). Irregular resorbed cores of some pyrochlores are A-site deficient (>50%) and enriched in Sr (6–10 wt.% SrO), BaO (0.5–3.5 wt.%), Ta2O5 (1–2 wt.%) and UO2 (0.5–2 wt.%). Many of the pyrochlores exhibit oscillatory zoning. Experimental data on the phase relationships of haplocarbonatite melts predicts the formation of apatite and pyrochlore as the initial liquidus phases in such systems. However, the texture of the clasts indicates that pyrochlore and apatite did not crystallise together and it is concluded that pyrochlores formed in one magma have been mechanically mixed with a different apatite-rich magma. Segregation of the apatite–pyrochlore assemblage followed by lithification resulted in the apatitites, which were disrupted and fragmented by subsequent batches of diverse carbonatites. The genesis of the pyrochlore apatitites is considered to be a process of magma mixing and not simple in situ crystallisation.

Combined microstructural, mineral chemical, X-ray maps and X-ray single-crystal diffraction analyses are used to reveal the behaviour of individual grains of magmatic allanite relicts hosted in variably deformed metagranitoids at Lago della Vecchia (inner part of the Sesia-Lanzo Zone, Western Alps, Europe), which experienced high-pressure and low-temperature metamorphism during the Alpine subduction. X-ray single-crystal diffraction shows that none of the allanite crystals, irrespective of the strain state of the host rock, record any evidence of plastic deformation (i.e. intracrystalline deformation), as indicated by the shape of the Bragg diffraction spots, the atomic site positions, and their displacement around the centre of gravity. On the contrary, strong plastic deformation affected matrix minerals, such as quartz, white mica and feldspar of the hosting rocks, during the development of the Alpine eclogitic- and blueschist-facies metamorphism. Despite the strain-free atomic structures of allanite, different patterns of chemical zoning, as a function of strain accumulated in the rock matrix, are observed. As allanite occurs in magmatic and metamorphic rocks and it is stable at high-pressure and low-temperature conditions, we infer that allanite could behave as one of the main carriers of light rare earth elements into the mantle wedge during subduction of continental crust. In particular, the release of light rare earth elements from allanite, under high-pressure conditions in subduction zones, is facilitated by high strain accumulated in the host rock.

The high-silica rhyolitic Joe Lott Tuff was erupted at 19.2 ± 0.4 Ma from the Mount Belknap caldera, SW Utah. Certain units in the tuff contain two species of wakefieldite, the Nd- and Y-dominant types. They occur in disseminated streaks and patches in association with rhodochrosite, calcite, Fe oxide, cerite-(Ce), and a Mn silicate (caryopilite?), thought to have been deposited from hydrothermal fluids. The wakefieldites contain the highest levels of As (≤15.34 wt.% As2O5) and P (≤5.7 wt.% P2O5) yet recorded in this mineral, indicating significant solid solution towards chernovite-(Y) and xenotime-(Y). Thorium levels are also unusually high (≤14.2 wt.% ThO2). The source of the hydrothermal fluid(s) is unknown but might be related to uranium mineralisation in the region, in that As, V and U are commonly associated in such deposits.

Maletoyvayamite, Au3Se4Te6, is a new mineral discovered in a heavy-mineral concentrate from the Gaching occurrence of the Maletoyvayam deposit, Kamchatka, Russia (60°19′51.87″N, 164°46′25.65″E). It forms anhedral grains (10 to 50 μm in size) and is found in intergrowths with native gold (Au–Ag), Au tellurides (calaverite), unnamed phases (AuSe, Au2TeSe and Au oxide), native tellurium, sulfosalts (tennantite, tetrahedrite, goldfieldite and watanabeite) and supergene tripuhyite. Maletoyvayamite has a good cleavage on {010} and {001}. In plane-polarised light, maletoyvayamite is grey, has strong bireflectance (grey to bluish grey), and strong anisotropy; it exhibits no internal reflections. Reflectance values for maletoyvayamite in air (Rmin,Rmax in %) are: 38.9, 39.1 at 470 nm; 39.3, 39.5 at 546 nm; 39.3, 39.6 at 589 nm; and 39.4, 39.7 at 650 nm. Sixteen electron-microprobe analyses of maletoyvayamite gave an average composition: Au 34.46, Se 16.76, Te 47.23 and S 0.84, total 99.29 wt.%, corresponding to the formula Au2.90(Se3.52S0.44)Σ3.96Te6.14 based on 13 atoms; the average of eleven analyses on synthetic analogue is: Au 34.20, Se 19.68 and Te 45.42, total 99.30 wt.%, corresponding to Au2.90Se4.16Te5.94. The calculated density is 7.98 g/cm3. The mineral is triclinic, space group P1, with a = 8.901(2), b = 9.0451(14), c = 9.265(4) Å, α = 97.66(3), β = 106.70(2), γ = 101.399(14)°, V = 685.9(4) Å3 and Z = 2. The crystal structure of maletoyvayamite represents a unique structure type resembling a molecular structure. There are cube-like [Au6Se8Te12] clusters linked via van der Waals interactions. The structural identity of maletoyvayamite with the synthetic Au3Se4Te6 was confirmed by powder X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy.

Phase equilibria in the system Pd–Ag–S were studied using the silica-glass tube method at 400°C and 550°C. In the system we synthesised three ternary phases: coldwellite (Pd3Ag2S), kravtsovite (PdAg2S) and a new phase Pd13Ag3S4. At 400°С, coldwellite forms a stable association with vysotskite (PdS) and vasilite (Pd16S7); vysotskite and kravtsovite; phase Pd4S and a Ag–Pd alloy; it also coexists with a new phase Pd13Ag3S4. Kravtsovite is stable up to 507°C; the presence of kravtsovite in the mineral assemblage reflects its formation below this temperature. The occurrence of coldwellite, vysotskite and Ag2S together in equilibrium reflects the formation of this mineral assemblage above this temperature (507°C). Coldwellite is stable up at 940°С. Mineral assemblages defined in this study can be expected in Cu–Ni–PGE mineral deposits, associated with mafic and ultramafic igneous rocks, in particular in mineralisations with known silver–palladium sulfides.

Uroxite (IMA2018-100), [(UO2)2(C2O4)(OH)2(H2O)2]⋅H2O, and metauroxite (IMA2019-030), (UO2)2(C2O4)(OH)2(H2O)2, are the first two uranyl oxalate minerals. Uroxite was found in the Markey mine, Red Canyon, San Juan County, Utah, USA and in the Burro mine, Slick Rock district, San Miguel County, Colorado, USA. Metauroxite was found only in the Burro mine. Both minerals are post-mining secondary phases found in efflorescent crusts on mine walls. Uroxite occurs as light yellow striated blades exhibiting moderate neon-green fluorescence, ca 2 Mohs hardness with good {101} and {010} cleavages. Calculated density = 4.187 g/cm3. Optics are: biaxial (–), α = 1.602(2), β = 1.660(2), γ = 1.680(2) (white light), 2Vmeas. = 59(1)°, 2Vcalc = 59.1°, moderate r > v dispersion, orientation Y = b, Z ∧ a = 35° in obtuse β and it is nonpleochroic. Metauroxite occurs as light yellow crude blades and tablets exhibiting weak green–grey fluorescence, ca 2 Mohs hardness with good {001} cleavage. Calculated density = 4.403 g/cm3. Approximate optics are: α′ = 1.615(5) and γ′ = 1.685(5). Electron probe microanalysis provided UO3 79.60, C2O3 10.02, H2O 10.03, total 99.65 wt.% for uroxite and UO3 82.66, C2O3 10.40, H2O 7.81, total 100.87 wt.% for metauroxite; C2O3 and H2O are based on the structures. Uroxite is monoclinic, P21/c, a = 5.5698(2), b = 15.2877(6), c = 13.3724(9) Å, β = 94.015(7)°, V = 1135.86(10) Å3 and Z = 4. Metauroxite is triclinic, P${\bar 1}$, a = 5.5635(3), b = 6.1152(4), c = 7.8283(4) Å, α = 85.572(5), β = 89.340(4), γ = 82.468°, V = 263.25(3) Å3 and Z = 1. The strongest reflections of the powder XRD pattern [d, Å (I, %)(hkl)] are for uroxite: 10.05(38)(011), 5.00(100)(022, ${\bar 1}$11), 4.75(23)(031), 4.43(51)(120, ${\bar 1}$02), 3.567(33)(131), 3.341(29)(033, ${\bar 1}$32, 004), 2.623(28)(${\bar 2}$02, 015, ${\bar 1}$43, 220) and for metauroxite: 6.06(45)(010), 5.52(33)(100), 4.97(34)(011), 4.52(100)(0${\bar 1}$1, 101), 3.888(80)(111, 002, ${\bar 1}$10), 3.180(51)(${\bar 1}$02, 0${\bar 1}$2), 2.604(32)(${\bar 2}$01, ${\bar 1}$${\bar 2}$1). In the structure of uroxite (R1 = 0.0333 for 2081 I > 2σI reflections), UO7 pentagonal bipyramids share corners forming [U4O24] tetramers, which are linked by C2O4 groups to form corrugated sheets. In the structure of metauroxite (R1 = 0.0648 for 1602 I > 2σI reflections) UO7 pentagonal bipyramids share edges forming [U2O12] dimers, which are linked by C2O4 groups to form zigzag chains.

The new mineral pansnerite, ideally K3Na3Fe3+6(AsO4)8, was found in the Arsenatnaya fumarole at the Second scoria cone of the Northern Breakthrough of the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption, Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka, Russia. It is associated with aphthitalite, hematite, sanidine, badalovite, khrenovite, achyrophanite, arsenatrotitanite, ozerovaite, tilasite, calciojohillerite, johillerite, nickenichite, svabite, katiarsite, yurmarinite, anhydrite, rutile, cassiterite and pseudobrookite. Pansnerite forms tabular to lamellar (flattened on {010}), usually pseudo-hexagonal crystals up to 0.2 mm × 0.7 mm × 1 mm and crystal clusters up to 2 mm across. It is transparent to translucent, light green, pale greenish, yellowish–greenish or yellowish, with vitreous lustre. The mineral is brittle, with perfect {010} cleavage. The Mohs’ hardness is ca 3. Dcalc is 3.596 g cm–3. Pansnerite is optically biaxial (–), α = 1.702(4), β = 1.713(4), γ = 1.717(4), 2Vmeas = 45(10)° and 2Vcalc = 62°. Chemical composition (holotype, wt.%, electron microprobe data) is: Na2O 6.39, K2O 8.52, CaO 0.08, MgO 0.08, MnO 0.02, NiO 0.02, CuO 1.35, ZnO 0.34, Al2O3 7.35, Cr2O3 0.04, Fe2O3 16.72, SiO2 0.16, P2O5 0.22, V2O5 0.09, As2O5 57.76, SO3 0.04, total 99.20. The empirical formula based on 32 O apfu is K2.86Na3.26Ca0.02(Fe3+3.31Al2.28Cu0.27Zn0.07Mg0.03Cr0.01)Σ5.97(As7.95P0.05Si0.04V0.02S0.01)Σ8.06O32. Pansnerite is orthorhombic, Cmce, a = 10.7372(3), b = 20.8367(8), c = 6.47335(15) Å, V = 1448.27(7) Å3 and Z = 2. The strongest reflections of the X-ray powder diffraction pattern [d,Å(I)(hkl)] are: 10.49(100)(020), 5.380(88)(111), 4.793(65)(220), 3.105(46)(311, 002), 3.079(32)(112, 061), 2.932(35)(260), 2.783(65)(202) and 2.694(52)(400, 222). The crystal structure was solved from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data, R1 = 2.82%. The structure is based on heteropolyhedral layers formed by MO6 octahedra (M = Fe3+ and Al) sharing common vertices and connected by AsO4 tetrahedra. Na+ and K+ cations are located in the interlayer space. The mineral is named in honour of the German–Russian mineralogist and geographer Lavrentiy Ivanovich Pansner (1777–1851). Pansnerite forms a solid-solution series with the isotypic mineral ozerovaite, ideally KNa2Al3(AsO4)4.

A new mineral majzlanite, ideally K2Na(ZnNa)Ca(SO4)4, was found in high-temperature exhalative mineral assemblages in the Yadovitaya fumarole, Second scoria cone of the Great Tolbachik Fissure Eruption (1975–1976), Tolbachik volcano, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia. Majzlanite is associated closely with langbeinite and K-bearing thénardite. Majzlanite is grey with a bluish tint, has a white streak and vitreous lustre. The mineral is soluble in warm water. Majzlanite is monoclinic, C2/c, a = 16.007(2), b = 9.5239(11), c = 9.1182(10) Å, β = 94.828(7)°, V = 1385.2(3) Å3 and Z = 16. The eight strongest lines of the X-ray powder diffraction pattern are [d, Å (I, %)(hkl)]: 3.3721(40)($\bar{3}$12), 3.1473(56)($\bar{4}$02), 3.1062(65)($\bar{2}$22), 2.9495(50)($\bar{1}$31), 2.8736(100)($\bar{1}$13), 2.8350(70)(421), 2.8031(45)(511) and 2.6162(41)($\bar{5}$12). The following structural formula was obtained: K2Na(Zn0.88Na0.60Cu0.36Mg0.16)(Ca0.76Na0.24)(S0.98Al0.015Si0.005O4)4. The chemical composition determined by electron-microprobe analysis is (wt.%): Na2O 9.73, K2O 15.27, ZnO 11.20, CaO 7.03, CuO 4.26, MgO 1.07, Al2O3 0.47, SO3 51.34, SiO2 0.12, total 100.49. The empirical formula calculated on the basis of 16 O apfu is K1.99Na1.93Zn0.84Ca0.77Cu0.33Mg0.16(S3.94Al0.06Si0.01)O16 and the simplified formula is K2Na(Zn,Na,Cu,Mg)Σ2(Ca,Na)(SO4)4. No natural or synthetic compounds directly chemically and/or structurally related to majzlanite are known to date. The topology of the heteropolyhedral framework in majzlanite is complex. An interesting feature of the structure of majzlanite is an edge-sharing of ZnO6 octahedra with SO4 tetrahedra.