BOZEMAN — As the global demand for critical minerals surges, driven by rapid advancements in technology and the urgent imperatives of national security, scientists are deepening their exploration of the subtle yet powerful geochemical processes that govern the distribution of these vital elements on Earth. Among these, rare earth elements (REEs) such as lanthanides, along with lithium, cobalt, nickel, and graphite, occupy a central role. Montana State University’s geologist Dr. Zachary Burton is spearheading groundbreaking research that unravels how these elements migrate and accumulate, particularly under the influence of extreme cold climatic conditions.
Unlike the common misconception suggested by their name, rare earth elements are not inherently scarce in terms of their crustal abundance. They are, in fact, relatively ubiquitous but typically dispersed at exceedingly low concentrations, rendering economically viable deposits exceptionally rare. Dr. Burton emphasizes that one of the enduring challenges in mineral exploration lies in understanding the fundamental scientific mechanisms responsible for the natural enrichment and spatial concentration of critical minerals. “Our knowledge about how these elements move through the environment — especially under cold climate regimes — is surprisingly limited,” he notes, highlighting a gap that his recent work begins to address.
The core of Burton’s study focuses on the movement and accumulation of REEs in salt pond environments located within Antarctica’s partially permafrost regions. Published in the journal Cold Regions Science and Technology, the research employs meticulous experimental methods to elucidate how episodic processes such as freeze-thaw cycles and seasonal snowmelt drive the translocation and sequestration of these elements within regolith and other sedimentary matrices. This work is particularly significant given Antarctica’s status as a protected continent under international treaties that prohibit mineral extraction but serve as a natural laboratory for geochemical processes that may mirror those in other frigid or arid terrestrial settings.
The Antarctic environment offers a unique vantage point in geosciences due to its extreme conditions — sub-zero temperatures, cyclic freezing and thawing, and minimal biological activity — which collectively influence mineral behavior differently than more temperate or tropical zones. Burton’s experiments simulate these dynamics to observe how aqueous solutions facilitate the transport of REEs, causing them to concentrate in salt-rich layers, thus providing crucial insights into potential mineral formation processes in other lightly explored cold regions such as parts of Greenland and the permafrost-affected territories of Ukraine, both of which have garnered increased attention for their raw material potential.
It is noteworthy that much of the existing literature and mining activity concerning critical minerals currently centers on tropical or subtropical regions, with China dominating global production for decades. This geographic bias has contributed to a relative paucity of scientific studies addressing sediment-hosted REEs within cold or arid environments, leaving a critical knowledge deficit in these domains. Burton’s research represents a deliberate effort to redress this imbalance, shedding light on the unique pathways and reservoirs through which these elements can accumulate under frigid conditions, and thereby expanding the frontiers of mineral exploration.
The implications of Burton’s findings extend beyond terrestrial considerations. The geochemical environment of Antarctic salt ponds exhibits analogs to extraterrestrial surfaces, where similar freeze-thaw interactions and regolith characteristics occur. This parallels the interest of space agencies such as NASA, which are heavily invested in the prospect of in-situ resource utilization (ISRU) on the Moon and Mars. Access to rare earth elements and other critical minerals in these extraterrestrial contexts could revolutionize the sustainability of long-duration space missions by enabling local manufacturing and energy storage solutions, rather than relying solely on Earth-based supply chains.
Back on Earth, Burton’s research is concurrently addressing the dynamics of critical mineral deposition in the hot desert basins of the western United States, including Nevada, Utah, and California’s Mojave Desert. These regions feature markedly different climatic and geological settings compared to Antarctica, characterized by aridity, extreme heat, and episodic hydrological events. Despite these contrasts, similar processes involving mineral mobilization and sediment-hosted concentration appear to operate, underscoring the complexity and diversity of controls on critical mineral localization.
As one of the newest faculty members in Montana State University’s Department of Earth Sciences, Dr. Burton is actively expanding collaborative research initiatives aimed at developing innovative exploration techniques and geochemical models. His work integrates field studies, laboratory experiments, and computational simulations to create a robust framework that can predict and identify economically promising rare earth element deposits under a variety of environmental conditions. The multidisciplinary nature of this work reflects a broader trend within Earth sciences toward addressing pressing global challenges, including resource scarcity, environmental sustainability, and technological progress.
The growing spotlight on critical minerals amid geopolitical tensions and supply chain vulnerabilities has intensified the urgency for scientific advancements that can secure new sources while minimizing environmental impacts. Burton’s approach not only contributes to this vital knowledge base but also positions Montana State University as a hub of expertise in this emergent and high-impact field. The university’s leadership echoes this sentiment, emphasizing the broader national security and economic benefits that accrue from cultivating scholarship and innovation centered on these essential materials.
Moreover, Burton’s research helps dispel the misconception that mineral deposits form merely by chance or in isolated geological settings. Instead, it underscores the importance of dynamic Earth surface processes—including hydrology, chemistry, and climatic forces—that interact over time scales ranging from seasons to millennia. This paradigm shift is essential not only for academic understanding but also for practical applications in mineral exploration industries and policy formulations aimed at sustainable resource management.
Ultimately, the synthesis of Antarctic field conditions, desert basin studies, and planetary analog investigations positions Burton’s work at the frontier of critical mineral science. It also inspires future generations of geoscientists to rethink the parameters that define ore genesis and to harness modern investigative tools to uncover hidden mineral wealth. As he articulates, “This is a challenge and a scramble, but it is immensely exciting because there’s still so much the world needs to learn in these areas.”
Alison Harmon, Montana State University’s vice president for research and economic development, anticipates that the burgeoning faculty expertise in critical minerals will catalyze meaningful contributions not only within Montana but across the national landscape. The confluence of scientific discovery, economic opportunity, and geopolitical necessity underscores the transformative potential of research endeavors like those led by Burton.
With the publication of this seminal paper in Cold Regions Science and Technology, the scientific community gains a valuable reference point for future explorations of rare earth element behaviors under cold and arid conditions. As global societies strive to transition toward greener technologies and resilient infrastructures, a deepened understanding of how and where to locate critical mineral deposits becomes paramount. Research like Burton’s charts a course toward that future, melding planetary science, Earth geochemistry, and innovative exploration paradigms into a cohesive vision of resource sustainability.
Subject of Research: Not applicable
Article Title: Controls on cold-climate critical minerals: Regolith-hosted
News Publication Date: 28-Jun-2025
Web References:
https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.coldregions.2025.104583
References:
Burton, Z. et al. (2025). Controls on cold-climate critical minerals: Regolith-hosted. Cold Regions Science and Technology.
Keywords:
Rare earth elements, critical minerals, geochemistry, freeze-thaw cycles, Antarctic salt ponds, regolith, sediment-hosted deposits, lithium, mineral exploration, cold climate processes, space resources, in-situ resource utilization, mineral accumulation
