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