The World's Most Valuable Volcanoes; Carbonatite Forming Eruptions 

Carbonatite lavas are a very fun yet highly rare occurrence on Earth. Also, when look at older rocks so called “skarn” deposits can look very similar to carbonatite at first glance.

That overhead photo of the volcano has some serious fantasy rpg vibes to it.

I thought said Carbonite and I was like "so this is where they found the material to freeze Han Solo"

Geology hub not only giving us geology facts but also investment ideas

A series on volcanic hot springs would be really cool.

I spent the last 30 years trying to sell carbonatite as an alternative fertilizer. This was a venture of futility; agricultural science does not recognize mineral reactivity. Rare earths, phosphorus, potassium rich biotite and calcium make an exceptional low cost fertilizer that though not water soluble is very bioavailable.

I love these videos

The mine operators at Mt Pass used to dump a load of ore at post office for rock collectors. Don't know if that's still practiced, but allowed a lot of us to sample the ore.

So cool! Always learning something new on this channel.

Thanks, Cameron, for suggesting this fascinating topic!

1:36 Viscosity of natrocarbonatite is actually significantly greater than water. The least viscous lava ever recorded there was 18 mPa-s (millipascal x seconds), while water has a viscosity of 1 mPa-s (and that lava formed under extremely unusual circumstances, having been "filter pressed" out of a stationary flow) (Norton and Pinkerton 1997). More commonly, natrocarbonatite samples range from 150 mPa-s to over 10,000 mPa-s. Of course, basalts can be well over 100,000 mPa-s, so natrocarbonatite is still extremely fluid, for a lava. Having visited Lengai once, back when the flows were still accessible to people (about a year before it started to erupt explosively, building its new crater*), I can tell you that this volcano is the most interesting natural phenomenon I've ever laid eyes on. Cresting the summit of the north crater, and gazing at the collection of hornitos/spatter cones therein felt like I had left Earth altogether and was witnessing an alien environment. Also, the volcano is high enough that you can see a significant chunk of the East African Rift Valley spread out before you from its summit, including a lot of the western "wall" of the graben. And I was lucky...I was able to witness a pretty spectacular eruption while there. If you want to see the video of that (under my old RU-vid handle of Chris2112), here it is (apologies for the babbling...the eruption happened in a place where I'd been STANDING not 5 minutes earlier, so I was a bit freaked out...note also that the footage was filmed on a potato, so maybe view it in the miniplayer): ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-itTYc4sRvxI.html *Hopefully the new crater will fill in quickly, allowing scientists and curious volcanophiles alike close access to the most wonderful lava flows in the world.

Now this should be interesting

As always, interesting, informative and concise. Job well done! Omedeto gozaimasu!

This is so informative! Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom and providing facts! 👍

Thanks for branching out on your typical subject matter. Good stuff!

Mining an extinct volcano is not something I ever considered. i wonder what could be learned as we bring it down later by layer.

Love this content. We need more minerals for renewable technologies, so learning about how we get them is very interesting

Another reason why Ol Doinyo Lengai shouldn't be mined is that despite its current eruptive sequence, it is still an active *stratovolcano.* Therfore, explosive eruptions are still to be expected, such as in 2007 that destroyed the carbonatite plateau and carved in the current summit crater. Not only is it dangerous for the workers, but everytime it happens, there is a chance it will dramatically change something underground and the volcano may never erupt carbonatite lava again.

One of your finest videos, sir. Incredibly informative.

There's also a failed rift in the eastern US across NJ, NY, and CT. Haven't seen much study of east coast magmatics, at least nothing public domain to show what is known.

You are extremely well versed in the topic and most enjoyable to view. Thank you for posting. Bret in North Iowa.

Who knew Minecraft Stone is this valuable?

I live where the rock is primarily limestone just east of Canyon Lake. I have unearthed blobs of solid amberish colored calcite 2 feet in diameter and weighing up to 60 pounds. Crystals galore!

So glad to see my country getting mentioned. Love from Kenya 🇰🇪

Love the Content man! its been a few days and wasn't sure if you saw, I was wondering if you would produce a video on the Inner Space Caverns in Georgetown, Texas. I understand if you're not interested as its not in your usual Video Content. Love your videos and hope you have an awesome day!

Very informational awesome coverage very well done keep up the good work keep following yo

Excellent as always...!!!!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐❤❤❤❤❤

This is by far my favorite volcano. There is a video of people at the summit climbing around inside a hornito.

I really love Ol Doinyo Lengai's name. And it is such an interesting volcano to boot.

Very interesting. Thanks!

Thanks Cameron , good idea.

Well done. Thanks.

It is amazing how great video was millions of years ago.

Watching this video whilst eating my steel cut oat porridge :)

Speaking of carbonatites, could you do a video about the Alno Complex in Sweden?

Cool info. Even if it has been dormant for a quite a while, I'd feel a little nervous about mining out the top of a volcano...

very interesting:)

I'm always interested in videos and articles about carbonatites as the subject of my Masters' thesis in Geology was the geochemistry of carbonatites from Magnet Cove and Potash Sulfur Springs, a few miles east of Hot Springs, AR in the southern Ouachita Mountains. This was part of an area of volcanics that ran up to the Little Rock area and west at least to the Kimberlite pipe found in Pike County, AR. Magnet Cove is known for the unusual minerals found there in addition to the carbonatite outcrops.

Look forward to a future video of me explaining why I'm digging up rocks and plants on the side of the road near the mountain pass mine. Awesome!

It's rare that I don't enjoy one of your videos when I do watch them. So rare in fact that I don't not enjoy them.

Thank you 🙏

I was just thinking what are the odds that he'll mention the Great Lakes or Mid-Continent Rift areas. Thanks for the upload. Always interesting.

Thanks!

Priceless!

very cool keep it up.

Interesting topic.

great videos thank you. I dont think it would be the most exciting video but the story of siletzia always interest me as I spend a lot of time in the oregon coastal range and learning rock id from the different watershed around there can be a little all over the place for an amateur hobbyist.

Damn, I had no idea about this! It would make a really cool sci-fi or fantasy setting concept.

Hey, have you ever done a video on the Banff hotsprings in Alberta? I've always wondered that powers the hot water; they state several thoughts of the mechanics of the process of the heating, but not how it is heated! There is also unique snails that live in some of the hotsprings. I have some photos of the area, and of areas there, if you are interested/wanting some if going to make it.

Wow, this channel is genius!

Have you ever talked about the geology between Las Vegas and Reno? I know we have lithium and other minerals around here and would be interested in how they got there.

I found this video to be very informative.

“Old Lengai” is what grandpa calls his ding-a-ling

Speaking of the Mid Continent Rift, that would be an interesting video or two discussing it's formation, how the copper came to be deposited in Michigan, and it's involvement in the formation, if at all, of the Michigan Basin. Thanks

Is the concentration available in California higher due to deposits formed by erosion of the mineral lava flows?

New word of the day, Carbonatite. Thank you.

The chemistry of magma is fascinating, heat and pressure does crazy things 🤯

So incredibly interesting ✅✅✅ I find it strange that South Africa has so little rare earth elements but so much platinum, gold etc etc...

If the ecological impact of volcano mining is smaller than conventional mining - absolutely!

Nice to know that these rare earth elements are within the borders of the usa.

Geology rocks, but geography’s where it’s at.

Those that spurt oil and jet fuel.

Idk mining volcanos feels like popping a pimple that’s not ready yet. Feels like a good idea but ends in disaster

How does the Ashram Rare Earth Element and Fluorspar Deposit compare to the ones you showed in the video?

Does this mean that the mid ocean rifts, like the Atlantic, may also have similar carbonatite volcanoes? Then they may be rich in rare earths? Pity they are below the surface.....

Love it

Any updates from Azores volcano ?

I love the Ol Doinyo Lengai volcano and yes, the lava is rare. I saw the volcano in the movie Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, before the Lengai became active again after years of dormancy. There was an article about the Tonga volcano's shockwave, but there was not much information. So could you please see if you can find the article and share it in another video? I always look forward to your videos and Happy Easter!

Hey! please review Kasatochi Island, it looks like a cool volcano to discuss

Could you cover Puerto Ricos volcanic past specifically the El Yunque Caldera?

Kinda interesting, i thought it always erupted carbonite lavas. The old phonolite material is interesting, i wonder what would happen if Vesuvius suddenly started erupting carbonite lavas given it has erupted phonolite lavas. You mentioned carbonite is commonly found on rift zones, i wonder why so far nothing has been discovered in Ethiopia where a triple junction is currently spreading apart. Ol Doinyo Lengai is truly the world's weirdest volcanoes, it beats Dallol and Kawah Ijen easily.

Interesting view of volcanoes as a source of rare minerals…

I just learned about Carbonatite in lab today and its occurence as a volcanic igneous rock and there was no doubt in my mind that I would find a video about it here lol

Could you do a video on Mount Hudson in southern Chile? Thanks.

Is the pic in the thumbnail the same as the volcano with active black lava in it? If so, how did those spikes form?

Kudos to Cameron for suggesting this topic. REEs are critically important in today's world, and given the geopolitical climate, it's not wise to depend on unfriendly countries in Asia.

I wish I could just have the cool samples of these ores, with crystals or slices to shine light thru.

Anyone else automatically think of Han Solo when the narrator mentioned the name of this material?

Please do a special on kimberlite pipes.

I live in the Midcontinental rift in Michigan where theres mining prospects starting for some of these medals. Currently where I live we have the only active Nickel mine in the USA, and we also mine a lot of ore. But small carbonatite deposits have been found here

Do one on Cerro Negro cinder cone that was born in 1951

Interesting

Can you please make a video about the "Laguna Caldera" it is part of the lsguns de bay and it is super neat Manila (The Capital of the Philippines) our local news and geology agencies have little to no information and the public doesnt know anything about it. Considering it's potential size.

more on "copper country" , UP of Michigan, and the vulcanism behind lake superior would be great

Top 👍👍

It's my understanding they also found rare earth elements in the Sumitomo mine located on the north side of Big Bear Mountain in SoCal.

There are many places with prospective areas for REE minerals, most of them outside the North American continent. Australia and southern Africa seem to be very prospective for these, especially when one considers that rare earth's and uranium are very heavily correlated.

"Very recently" = 15,000bp

The cost of mining is SO expensive, its why open pit mines are now done more than tunnels if it can be. To give a example, just 900 feet worth of electric cable for underground cost $19k in recent mining video i watched.

Lol, "Very Recently" = 15,000 years Geology timescales are wild

Thorium also belongs to the REE group and is an inherent member of this group (discluding few very rare cases of extreme fractionation).

A few volcanoes in Auckland have been mined out completely for road metal (scoria) In fact, one in East Tamaki has been nearly entirely replaced with garbage being a city refuse dump.

The Mountain Pass Mine in California is preparing to go back into full-scale operation as soon its infrastructure (electrical and process piping) can be replaced. Permitting in California is a huge issue. Ambient summer temperatures approach 120f degrees. This is no easy task. China owns a significant share of the company and processes about 90% of all rare earth elements. I suggest a deep dive into Mountain Pass.

Oooh, they've incased him in Corbonatite, he should be quiet well protected. If he survived the freezing process that is. No wait...

Do particularly strong back-arc rifts ever produce such volcanoes? I know most strange forms of volcanism tend to occur near more productive zones or deal with thicker crust (like the subducting Ontong Java plateau causing lava cones on Bougainville, or the strange west African volcanoes on old thick craton crust, or much of the volcanism in east Africa) but I'd imagine you could get similar, albeit weaker, effects with strong enough back arc rifting. I know there's gold on the Coromandel peninsula in New Zealand, but I'm not sure if that's related to early activity of the TVZ or something else. And I'd imagine the Andes could contain some pretty nice deposits too if back arc activity could produce anything unique, lots of slab rollback there and a few instances of alkaline back arc volcanism like the Pali-Aike volcanic field.

you mention the rio grande rift in New Mexico. I have seen no records of carbonatitetype of volcanoes here (I live in Albuquerque). Where would they exists? Love your content

Not just silica is "the main component of lava at every other volcano" because the same is to be said about alumina, magnesia, lime, and other oxides like K2O are also main (major) components, among others.

Cool

Lake superior volcanic origins specifically in relation to the continental rift

I thought the title said Carbonite 😂