Special Issue: Call for papers: Special Issue on "Rare Earth Elements: Geology, Mineral Resources, and Exploration"

Journal of the Geological Survey of Brazil — 2026-05-11

CALL FOR PAPERS

Special issue on “Rare Earth Elements: Geology, Mineral Resources, and Exploration”

Submission deadline: 30 November 2026

Rare earth elements (REE) are essential components of modern technologies and are increasingly
important for the development of sustainable and resilient mineral resource systems. Advancing the geological understanding of REE systems is essential to improve the identification, evaluation, and sustainable use of these resources.
This special issue of the Journal of the Geological Survey of Brazil (JGSB) is dedicated to the geology,
mineral resources, and exploration of REE. It aims to bring together contributions addressing the diversity of
REE-bearing systems, including primary deposits such as alkaline–carbonatite and granitic complexes, as well as secondary resources such as placers and ionic adsorption clays.
Submissions addressing metallogenesis, mineralogy, and the application of geological, geophysical,
and geochemical methods to exploration are particularly encouraged. Contributions on mineral resource
assessment, exploration targeting, and predictive modeling are especially welcome.
By compiling recent advances across different geological settings and deposit types, this special issue
seeks to enhance current knowledge of REE systems and support the development of effective exploration
strategies and mineral resource evaluation.

Guest Editors

Lucy Takehara Chemale, PhD
Geological Survey of Brazil, Economic Geology Division, Brasília, Brazil
lucy.chemale@sgb.gov.br

Dr. Lucy Takehara Chemale is a Research Geologist at the Geological Survey of Brazil (SGB/CPRM), based
in Brasília. She holds a degree in Geological Engineering from the Federal University of Ouro Preto (UFOP)
and a PhD in Geosciences from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). Her expertise lies in the
mineralogical, geochemical, and geometallurgical characterization of mineral deposits, with a focus on critical and strategic minerals, especially rare earth elements (REE). She currently serves as the national coordinator of the Brazilian Rare Earth Project at SGB, leading integrated approaches that combine geological mapping, airborne geophysics, and geochemical datasets for mineral prospectivity modeling. Her work emphasizes the link between geoscientific research, mineral exploration, and public policy, supporting sustainable resource development. She has a strong background in analytical techniques and isotopic geochemistry, and actively collaborates with academic institutions, government agencies, and industry partners.

Kathryn M. Goodenough, PhD
British Geological Survey, Edinburgh, UK
kmgo@bgs.ac.uk

Prof. Kathryn Goodenough is a Principal Geologist at the British Geological Survey (BGS) and a Honorary Professor at the University of Aberdeen, UK. She has a BA (Hons) in Earth Sciences from the University of Oxford and a PhD from the University of Edinburgh, in which she studied the alkaline igneous rocks that host major REE deposits in Greenland. She has worked extensively on geology, geometallurgy, resources and wider environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects of critical minerals, particularly the REE. She has been involved in several internationally collaborative research projects relevant to REE mineral systems, including the EURARE and HiTech AlkCarb projects with EU funding, and the SoSRARE project funded by the
UK’s Natural Environment Research Council. She has also led a number of international partnerships for BGS, and has been involved in the development of collaboration between BGS and SGB over recent years. She was recognized as one of the 100 Global Inspirational Women in Mining (WIM100) in 2020.

Nilson Francisquini Botelho, PhD
UnB – Universidade de Brasília, Geoscience Institute, Brasília, Brazil
nilsonfb@unb.br

Prof. Nilson Botelho is currently a Full Professor at the Geosciences Institute of the University of Brasília. He holds a Graduation (1981) and Master’s degree (1984) in Geology from the University of Brasília and PhD in Geology from the University of Paris VI (Pierre et Marie Curie) (1992). He has experience in the field of Geosciences, with an emphasis on Mineralogy, Petrology, and Metallogeny, working mainly on the following topics: granite, hydrothermal alteration, gold, copper, tin, uranium, rare earth elements, and other rare metals. He develops research projects in several areas in Brazil and South America, and collaborates with government agencies and industry partners.

Editor-in-Chief

Evandro L. Klein, PhD
Geological Survey of Brazil, Department of Mineral Resources, Brasília, Brazil
evandro.klein@sgb.gov.br

Vice-Editor

Marcelo Esteves Almeida, PhD
Geological Survey of Brazil, Department of Geology, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
marcelo.esteves@sgb.gov.br

General goals

This special issue aims to advance the understanding of rare earth elements (REE) from a geoscientific perspective, with emphasis on geology, mineral resources, and exploration. It provides an integrated view of the processes controlling the formation, distribution, and economic potential of REE deposits.
We invite contributions addressing the geological framework, metallogenesis, and spatial distribution of REE deposits, as well as advances in exploration strategies, including the integration of geological mapping, geophysics, and geochemical techniques.
Studies on REE-bearing systems such as alkaline–carbonatite complexes, granitic environments, and secondary deposits (e.g., placers and ionic adsorption clays) are particularly welcome.
The issue also welcomes contributions on mineral resource assessment, data integration, predictive modeling, and the application of emerging technologies to exploration. By compiling recent advances across different deposit types and geological settings, this volume aims to strengthen the scientific basis for REE exploration and support the sustainable development of mineral resources.

We seek original research papers, review articles, historical reviews, case studies, and perspectives* addressing, but not limited to, the following broad topics:

• Deposit types and metallogenesis
• Exploration, mining
• Energy transition
• Technological innovations
• Big data and the use of Artificial Intelligence in REE exploration and mining
• Policy framework and governance
• International collaboration
• Mineral Processing and beneficiation
• Mineral and geochemistry of REE-bearing systems
• Environmental aspects and sustainability of REE resources

The expected publication of the volume with the final version of the papers is between June and September 2027, but the accepted articles will be published online a few days after acceptance, following JGSB editorial policy.

Manuscript submission instructions

Please submit your manuscripts from now to any time before the submission deadline, November 30, 2026, through JGSB’s online submission system and indicate that your submission is intended for the special issue on Rare Earth Elements: Geology, Mineral Resources, and Exploration.

All manuscripts submitted to this Special Issue will undergo a full peer-review by at least two independent reviewers and have to adhere to JGSB submission policies. To prepare your manuscript, please observe the instructions on the submission and author guidelines page (with templates to the different styles of contributions), and the publishing ethics and best practices section.

*Contributions to the “Perspective” section do not have to follow, in full, the guidelines. Abstract (± Introduction) and Conclusions must be present, but the Methods, Results, and Discussion sections are replaced by the main body of the article. This can contain section and subsection headings when necessary.

Keywords:

REE; Rare Earth Elements; Critical Minerals; Economic Geology; Mineral Resources; Energy Transition

Journal of the Geological Survey of Brazil: Announcements

Special Issue: Call for papers: Special Issue on "Rare Earth Elements: Geology, Mineral Resources, and Exploration"