REE-Rich Turonian Phosphates in the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin, Czech Republic: Assessment as Source of Critical Elements and Implications for Future Exploration
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Dear authors,
your manuscript brings a really interesting research topic to readers and I read it with real interest.
There are a few tiny problems like little mistakes in English (what is easy to improve), but there are real gaps in introduction, interpretation, discussion and citations.
So, I recommend accepting this manuscript after major correction and revission.
I encourage you to continue your scientific topics and publish more results in this paper, compare your results with recent research on similar topics all around the world (you may find inspiration elswhere, e.g. Elements, Geology, Ore Geol. Rev.,..), as it brings important data to compare and its deep interpretation, so missing in many papers as in yours one in actual form.
In sum, it is noted that the manuscript needs careful reconstruction and certain statements require further justification.
I encourage you to address my criticisms in the revised manuscript and enlarge interest of readers in your ms.
Best wishes
Author Response
please see attachment
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Firstly, authors are to be congratulated for preparing a good concentrated overview and a study of Early Turonian phosphate occurrences in Bohemian Cretaceous Basin. The overall structure of the manuscript is very good from both the aspects of summarising earlier studies as well as presenting and discussing novel data.
Although the overall manuscript is well prepared, I'd like to point out a slight discrepancy between the title of MS and conclusions about the occurrence's economic potential. The authors write (section 15 line 474-475) "... can not be categorized as deposits in the economic sense...", yet the title of MS states "Potential Source of Critical Elements." The discussion further progresses to stating that when "rocks are excavated for other purposes, ... , special attention may be paid to the Early Turonian phosphates." Indeed, the occurrences seem to be very thin and dilute when considering bulk rock. At present, it remains very hypothetical whether these phosphates could even be by-products as there is no information whether phosphate-bearing fractions could be separated efficiently from host rocks.
As written also in the comments within attached pdf document, I'd like to emphasise that if "potential source of critical elements" is presented in the title, the reader would certainly like to have a quick glance about the concentrations of critical elements within phosphate as well as thickness of the phosphate-bearing layer.
Otherwise, as stated in the beginning the overall scientific argumentation is good and makes worthy connections with other phosphate occurrences in Europe and hypotheses are made about a wider regional phosphogenic event(s).
The rest of minor comments are added to attached pdf document.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
please see attachment
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Thank you for submitting your work to Minerals. It is a relevant and interesting study and I hope that we can publish it soon.
Here some additional comments that I would like you to consider:
-Abstract: REE and other critical elements such as U have always been of importance in phosphate mining.
-check reference style of Minerals
-Don't mention European project in the introduction - put this in the acknowledgement
-mention european critical raw materials report
publications.europa.eu/resource/cellar/d1be1b43-e18f-11e8-b690-01aa75ed71a1.0001.01/DOC_1
- phosphates are apparently a potentially important source of U for the EU already:
- https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2019.02.012
- mention that
use more sub-headings you have too many chapters - it should not be more than 8 in a paper
sub headings for -geological settings to Samples and methods
start again with chapter 2: Materials and Methods
Table 3 - make this 2 tables one with main components one for trace elements
critical elements chapter: here you discuss the concentrations - that is great - can you comment on the potential amount of recoverable material? I think this would be wonderful
Author Response
please see attachment
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
Dear author.
Thank you for your message and important improvement of your ms.
Try to improve a bit more overall quality and content to increase interest of readers.
Wish you good luck in all you do.
Reviewer 3 Report
good work
