bastnasite

noun

Meaning

A carbonate-fluoride mineral that serves as a primary ore for light rare earth elements like cerium, lanthanum, and neodymium.

Examples

  • The deposit is primarily composed of bastnasite, making it a valuable site for rare earth element production.
  • Geologists identified significant veins of bastnasite within the metamorphic rock formation.

Synonyms: ore, mineral, lanthanide source, bastnäsite