A natural laboratory for critical metals investigations in the Mourne Mountains granites

This is the final version. Available from the Royal Irish Academy via the DOI in this record.Certain metals that are vital for many modern technologies occur naturally in the Mourne Mountains Complex of County Down, Northern Ireland. These include niobium, tantalum and the rare earth elements. Using the Tellus geochemistry data and the results of more detailed sampling we have investigated their geological sources in granite bedrock and their dispersion in stream sediments. From this research, an exploration methodology has emerged that can assist in the search for critical metals globally. Planned follow-on studies include investigations of the environmental fate of these metals and the potentially toxic elements with which they are naturally associated.Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investmen