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Investigation in districts

China is by far the dominant producer of rare earth elements, accounting for 94 per cent of global production. Significant amounts of REE are produced in only a few other countries, such as Brazil, India and Malaysia. More than 70 per cent of light rare earth elements are supplied from one mine in China: the 56 million tonne Bayan Obo deposit in Inner Mongolia, which commenced production in 1957 and is the largest deposit in the world.

In 2010, it produced 55,000 tons of REOs, representing 46 per cent of Chinese production and 42 per cent globally. Before the Bayan Obo deposit came on stream, the largest producer was Molycorp's Mountain Pass deposit in California. However, China started selling rare earths at such low prices in the early 1990's that the Mountain Pass mines and others in the world were unable to compete.

Mining at Mountain Pass ceased in 2002 but was recently re-commissioned and is expected to return to full production in 2012." However, this scenario might change once the deposits in Chunya start being exploited. "The rare earth elements were first spotted in Ngualla, Chunya in 1949.

However, they were not identified as rare earth minerals. Between 1957 and 1961, nobium, one of the elements, was identified. The exploration was done by Williamson who had discovered diamonds in Mwadui, Shinyanga some previous years. "They aimed at exploring some other diamond deposits.

The first report of the possibility of having these rare earth elements was based on satellite image interpretation in 1989. In 2006, the Australian company, Peak Resources Limited started the exploration in Ngualla," Eng Mremi explains. The Australian Proactive Investor's website reported that,Peak Resources Limited was on track to complete in early 2014 the key Preliminary Feasibility Study for its wholly-owned Ngualla Rare Earth Project in Tanzania.

Notably, this would include a revised economic assessment that is likely to reflect the benefit that rising prices for the key high value rare earths would have on projected annual revenue. The Pre-Feasibility Study that was released by the Peak Resources Limited indicates that the Ngualla rare earth project has ore reserve of 20.7 million tons at 4.54 per cent rare earth oxides.

According to the Managing Director of Peak Resources, Darren Townsend, "the Ore Reserve is one of the world's largest outside of China and is also of high quality with over 86 per cent in the highest JORC Proved category, the company has defined a maiden Ore Reserve of 20.7 million tons at 4.54 per cent rare earth oxides."

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