The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) released an indigenously developed Certified Reference Material (CRM) for ferrocarbonatite, designated as Ferrocarbonatite (FC) – BARC B1401. The material is intended to support analytical work related to exploration, extraction and process control in rare earth element (REE) ore mining and associated production industries in India.
The CRM was released on 17 November 2025 at an event organised by DAE and is designed for use in the development and validation of analytical methods, instrument calibration and quality control in scientific, industrial and academic laboratories. According to DAE, the availability of a matrix-matched CRM is expected to improve the accuracy and reliability of REE quantification in ferrocarbonatite samples.
In an official statement, the Department of Atomic Energy said the CRM has been jointly developed by the National Centre for Compositional Characterisation of Materials (NCCCM), Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC), and the Atomic Minerals Directorate for Exploration and Research (AMD), Hyderabad. The certification process was carried out in accordance with International Organization for Standardization (ISO) guidelines.
Rare earth elements are used across sectors including electronics, renewable energy, manufacturing and medical sciences. Ferrocarbonatite is identified as a source rock for REEs and occurs in carbonatite complexes across India, which are being explored by AMD. The statement noted that matrix-matched CRMs suitable for ferrocarbonatite are limited in global supply and are typically costly, creating challenges for laboratories involved in REE analysis.
The FC-CRM provides certified values for 13 rare earth elements: cerium, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, lanthanum, neodymium, praseodymium, scandium, samarium, terbium, yttrium and ytterbium. In addition, it includes certified concentrations for six major elements: aluminium, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese and phosphorus. DAE stated that this is the first such CRM developed in India and one of four ferrocarbonatite-based CRMs available globally.
The material is intended for application in analytical laboratories supporting mineral exploration programmes, metallurgical process development and quality assurance activities linked to REE-bearing ores. Its use is expected to reduce dependence on imported reference materials for routine and advanced analytical work involving ferrocarbonatite matrices.
The release event was attended by senior officials from DAE and its constituent organisations, including the Director of BARC, the Director of AMD, representatives from the Chemistry Group at BARC, the Controller of BARC, and officials from NCCCM-BARC.
The Department of Atomic Energy oversees India’s nuclear energy programme and associated research and development activities, including mineral exploration, materials research and analytical infrastructure supporting strategic sectors.
