Mineralogy, geochemistry and origin of karst bauxite deposits from the Reserva Fiscal Ávila, SW Dominican Republic
The energy transition, which aims to reduce carbon emissions and to slow down climate change, demands an ever-increasing supply of the so-called "critical metals". Rare-earth Elements and Yttrium (REY) are among the most critical metals, as they are indispensable in most technologies associated with...
| Authors: | ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; |
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| Format: | Article |
| Publication date: | 2025 |
| Country: | España |
| Institution: | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona |
| Repository: | Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB |
| Language: | English |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:ddd.uab.cat:311392 |
| Online Access: | https://ddd.uab.cat/record/311392 https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1344/GeologicaActa2025.23.9 |
| Access Level: | Open access |
| Keyword: | Karst bauxite Critical metals Rare-earth elements and yttrium (rey) Dominican republic Caribbean |
| _version_ | 1878733037678624768 |
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| author | Domínguez-Carretero, Diego|||0000-0002-1089-0962 |
| author2 | Villanova-de-Benavent, Cristina|||0000-0002-3973-2271 Torró, Lisard Pujol-Solà, Núria|||0000-0001-6378-6811 Bover-Arnal, Telm|||0000-0002-5599-3711 Mestre, Àngel Aiglsperger, Thomas|||0000-0002-1298-0320 Ramírez, Australia|||0000-0003-1315-6592 Rodríguez, Jesús Espaillat, Julio Proenza, Joaquín A.|||0000-0001-8738-7305 |
| author2_role | author author author author author author author author author author |
| author_browse | Aiglsperger, Thomas|||0000-0002-1298-0320 Bover-Arnal, Telm|||0000-0002-5599-3711 Domínguez-Carretero, Diego|||0000-0002-1089-0962 Espaillat, Julio Mestre, Àngel Proenza, Joaquín A.|||0000-0001-8738-7305 Pujol-Solà, Núria|||0000-0001-6378-6811 Ramírez, Australia|||0000-0003-1315-6592 Rodríguez, Jesús Torró, Lisard Villanova-de-Benavent, Cristina|||0000-0002-3973-2271 |
| author_facet | Domínguez-Carretero, Diego|||0000-0002-1089-0962 Villanova-de-Benavent, Cristina|||0000-0002-3973-2271 Torró, Lisard Pujol-Solà, Núria|||0000-0001-6378-6811 Bover-Arnal, Telm|||0000-0002-5599-3711 Mestre, Àngel Aiglsperger, Thomas|||0000-0002-1298-0320 Ramírez, Australia|||0000-0003-1315-6592 Rodríguez, Jesús Espaillat, Julio Proenza, Joaquín A.|||0000-0001-8738-7305 |
| author_role | author |
| collection | Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB |
| description | The energy transition, which aims to reduce carbon emissions and to slow down climate change, demands an ever-increasing supply of the so-called "critical metals". Rare-earth Elements and Yttrium (REY) are among the most critical metals, as they are indispensable in most technologies associated with the generation and storage of renewable energy. In recent years there has been a growing interest in the potential of karst bauxites as non-conventional sources of REY and other critical metals such as Sc and Ga. The Sierra de Bahoruco (SW Dominican Republic) contains the most REY-enriched karst bauxites globally. In view of the high potential for hosting important REY contents, the Dominican Republic government has declared the Reserva Fiscal Ávila (RFA), a state-owned area within the Sierra de Bahoruco for assessment and exploration of its REY resources. In this study, we present the first data on the mineralogy and composition of bauxitic rocks from the RFA. The bauxitic deposits comprise clayey bauxites and Fe-rich bauxites that are composed predominantly of Al-oxyhydroxides (gibbsite, boehmite and nordstrandite), kaolinite and Fe-oxyhydroxides. The bauxites are enriched in REY, with a median value of 1,310ppm and up to 2,542ppm, with a consistent enrichment in light REE (LREE) and Y compared to middle (MREE) and heavy REE (HREE). The positive correlation between the contents of REY and Th, and negative correlation with K, makes gamma-ray spectrometry an appropriate tool for the exploration. In addition, bauxitic rocks from the RFA contain significant Sc (up to 105ppm) and Ga (up to 54ppm) contents, and their extraction could potentially represent a substantial economic surplus to the revenue generated solely from the aluminum production. |
| eu_rights_str_mv | openAccess |
| format | article |
| id | ES_4ed36419476bcf2da2ca6d0cb844f461 |
| institution | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona |
| instname_str | Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona |
| language | eng |
| network_acronym_str | ES |
| network_name_str | España |
| oai_identifier_str | oai:ddd.uab.cat:311392 |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| reponame_str | Dipòsit Digital de Documents de la UAB |
| spelling | Mineralogy, geochemistry and origin of karst bauxite deposits from the Reserva Fiscal Ávila, SW Dominican Republic Domínguez-Carretero, Diego|||0000-0002-1089-0962 Villanova-de-Benavent, Cristina|||0000-0002-3973-2271 Torró, Lisard Pujol-Solà, Núria|||0000-0001-6378-6811 Bover-Arnal, Telm|||0000-0002-5599-3711 Mestre, Àngel Aiglsperger, Thomas|||0000-0002-1298-0320 Ramírez, Australia|||0000-0003-1315-6592 Rodríguez, Jesús Espaillat, Julio Proenza, Joaquín A.|||0000-0001-8738-7305 Karst bauxite Critical metals Rare-earth elements and yttrium (rey) Dominican republic Caribbean The energy transition, which aims to reduce carbon emissions and to slow down climate change, demands an ever-increasing supply of the so-called "critical metals". Rare-earth Elements and Yttrium (REY) are among the most critical metals, as they are indispensable in most technologies associated with the generation and storage of renewable energy. In recent years there has been a growing interest in the potential of karst bauxites as non-conventional sources of REY and other critical metals such as Sc and Ga. The Sierra de Bahoruco (SW Dominican Republic) contains the most REY-enriched karst bauxites globally. In view of the high potential for hosting important REY contents, the Dominican Republic government has declared the Reserva Fiscal Ávila (RFA), a state-owned area within the Sierra de Bahoruco for assessment and exploration of its REY resources. In this study, we present the first data on the mineralogy and composition of bauxitic rocks from the RFA. The bauxitic deposits comprise clayey bauxites and Fe-rich bauxites that are composed predominantly of Al-oxyhydroxides (gibbsite, boehmite and nordstrandite), kaolinite and Fe-oxyhydroxides. The bauxites are enriched in REY, with a median value of 1,310ppm and up to 2,542ppm, with a consistent enrichment in light REE (LREE) and Y compared to middle (MREE) and heavy REE (HREE). The positive correlation between the contents of REY and Th, and negative correlation with K, makes gamma-ray spectrometry an appropriate tool for the exploration. In addition, bauxitic rocks from the RFA contain significant Sc (up to 105ppm) and Ga (up to 54ppm) contents, and their extraction could potentially represent a substantial economic surplus to the revenue generated solely from the aluminum production. https://ddd.uab.cat/record/311392 https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1344/GeologicaActa2025.23.9 |
| spellingShingle | Mineralogy, geochemistry and origin of karst bauxite deposits from the Reserva Fiscal Ávila, SW Dominican Republic Domínguez-Carretero, Diego|||0000-0002-1089-0962 Karst bauxite Critical metals Rare-earth elements and yttrium (rey) Dominican republic Caribbean |
| title | Mineralogy, geochemistry and origin of karst bauxite deposits from the Reserva Fiscal Ávila, SW Dominican Republic |
| title_full | Mineralogy, geochemistry and origin of karst bauxite deposits from the Reserva Fiscal Ávila, SW Dominican Republic |
| title_fullStr | Mineralogy, geochemistry and origin of karst bauxite deposits from the Reserva Fiscal Ávila, SW Dominican Republic |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mineralogy, geochemistry and origin of karst bauxite deposits from the Reserva Fiscal Ávila, SW Dominican Republic |
| title_short | Mineralogy, geochemistry and origin of karst bauxite deposits from the Reserva Fiscal Ávila, SW Dominican Republic |
| title_sort | Mineralogy, geochemistry and origin of karst bauxite deposits from the Reserva Fiscal Ávila, SW Dominican Republic |
| topic | Karst bauxite Critical metals Rare-earth elements and yttrium (rey) Dominican republic Caribbean |
| topic_facet | Karst bauxite Critical metals Rare-earth elements and yttrium (rey) Dominican republic Caribbean |
| url | https://ddd.uab.cat/record/311392 https://dx.doi.org/urn:doi:10.1344/GeologicaActa2025.23.9 |