Bastnäsite is a group of rare-earth fluorocarbonate minerals, most commonly dominated by cerium, lanthanum, or neodymium. Bastnäsite-(Ce), with the ideal formula CeCO3F, is particularly important as an ore mineral of light rare earth elements and occurs prominently in some carbonatite and alkaline-related deposits. Its REE content makes bastnäsite-bearing ores important potential sources of elements used in magnets, electronics, energy technologies, and other advanced materials.
These elements are often found is this element in the following Deposit Types:
Deposit Type: Carbonatite REE - Carbonatite-hosted deposits enriched in rare earth elements (REEs), commonly associated with alkaline igneous complexes.
Bastnäsite is a principal light-REE ore mineral in carbonatite deposits and commonly contains cerium as a major rare-earth component.