The Technical Specification for In-Situ Leaching of Ion-Adsorption Rare Earth Deposits has been awarded the National Second Prize.

　　Recently, at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the National Rare Earth Standardization Technical Committee, it was announced that the “Technical Specification for In-Situ Leaching Mining of Ion-Adsorption Rare Earth Ores,” led by Ganzhou Rare Earth Mining Co., Ltd. and jointly developed with several research institutions, had been awarded the second prize nationwide. It is also reported that the meeting disclosed other winners of the 2016 National Rare Earth Standardization Technical Committee’s Outstanding Standards Award.

Ganzhou, Jiangxi Province, is the place where ion‑type rare earths were discovered, named, and where the associated mining technologies were first developed. It has consistently occupied a central position in the exploration, utilization, and technological advancement of ion‑type rare earths, with its mining techniques remaining at the forefront worldwide. Since their discovery in 1969, ion‑type rare earth mining in Ganzhou has evolved through three major processes—pit leaching, heap leaching, and in‑situ leaching. Notably, the in‑situ leaching method was awarded the Third Prize of the National Invention Award and the First Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress of Jiangxi Province. This technology has since been widely adopted across southern China’s ion‑type rare earth mining operations; however, until recently, no comprehensive and systematic technical standards framework had yet been established.

　　Ganzhou Rare Earth Mining Co., Ltd., as the sole holder of mining rights for Ganzhou Rare Earth and the largest resource platform for southern ion-absorption rare earths, has devoted itself to researching and establishing technical specifications for in-situ leaching of ion-absorption rare earths, thereby addressing the longstanding challenge faced by Ganzhou Rare Earth—possessing extraction technologies but lacking both industry‑wide and national standards. Since 2010, the company has collaborated with the Ganzhou Nonferrous Metallurgy Research Institute, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology, and several other research institutions. Building on existing in-situ leaching processes and drawing upon years of field surveys of rare earth mines, relevant mining data, and the latest scientific advances, it has mobilized technical expertise to tackle key issues related to the applicability of in-situ leaching technology for ion-absorption rare earths. The company has also undertaken comprehensive collection, organization, and refinement of practical outcomes from the application of this technology, continuously refining and innovating its approaches. Ultimately, it has established a complete system of technical specifications for in-situ leaching of ion-absorption rare earths.

　　It is reported that the “Technical Specification for In‑situ Leaching of Ion‑Adsorption Rare Earth Deposits” represents the first such standard developed nationwide. The specification has successfully passed the expert review of the National Rare Earth Standardization Committee and, upon promulgation, will become a national standard. Once implemented, it will provide crucial guidance, regulation, and oversight for the extraction of ion‑adsorption rare earth resources, offering technical support to promote standardized, large‑scale, and intensive mining operations. This will enable the efficient, safe, and environmentally friendly exploitation of ion‑adsorption rare earth deposits, while playing a vital role and exerting far‑reaching influence in rectifying and regulating the rare earth mining sector and fostering the industry’s sustained, healthy development.