Mine from the past shows critical minerals potential

A new study by Resources Victoria’s geoscientists has found elevated levels of critical minerals vanadium and rhenium, along with low levels of rare earth elements, in rocks from historic phosphate mines in the state’s north and east.

A new study by Resources Victoria’s geoscientists has found elevated levels of critical minerals vanadium and rhenium, along with low levels of rare earth elements, in rocks from historic phosphate mines in the state’s north and east.

Vanadium, rhenium, and rare earth elements are all on the Australian critical minerals list and have renewable energy applications in wind turbines and grid scale batteries.

This discovery forms part of a geoscience report series by the Geological Survey of Victoria focussing on characterising some of the state’s known critical minerals occurrences and opportunities, as part of the Developing Victoria’s Critical Minerals initiative.

This study investigated two historic phosphate mines in Victoria - the Phosphate Hill Mine near Mansfield, and the Romsey Phosphate Mine near Romsey.

Samples were collected from legacy drill holes from the Phosphate Hill Mine, held at the GSV Drill Core Library, which were drilled by the Mines Department of Victoria in 1972. Field samples were collected from the Romsey Phosphate Mine and surrounding rocks.

Results from this study combined with an understanding of Victoria’s ancient marine environments point to other areas of the state that may have even greater potential for critical minerals in phosphate bearing rocks, in the south of the Melbourne geological zone.

In addition to their potential use in renewable energy infrastructure, many of our minerals have everyday uses. Vanadium is a metal with a natural resistance to corrosion and suited to the creation of tools, axles, and piston rods in machinery. Rhenium has been used in different alloys to make things like oven filaments, heating elements and in x-ray machines.