Use of QEMSCAN® to characterize oxidized REE ore from the Bear Lodge carbonatite, Wyoming, USA

•Automated mineralogical analysis (AMA) of a complex REE deposit has characterized variations in ore types due to hydrothermal and supergene processes.•The complexity of the deposit necessitated a mineralogical survey to establish a realistic database of minerals to reference for AMA.•Resulting modes from AMA reconcile well with independent chemical assay data.•When correctly conducted, AMA provides useful data in developing mineral processing flowsheets for metallurgy, even on complex deposits with multiple ore phases.