The role of carbonate-fluoride melt immiscibility in shallow REE deposit evolution

The Lugiin Gol nepheline syenite intrusion, Mongolia, hosts a range of carbonatite dikes mineralized in rare-earth elements(REE). Both carbonatites and nepheline syenite-fluorite-calcite veinlets are host to a previously unreported macroscale texture involving pseudo-graphic intergrowths of fluorite and calcite. The inclusions within calcite occur as either pure fluorite, with associated REE minerals within the surrounding calcite, or as mixed calcite-fluorite inclusions, with associated zirconosilicate minerals. Consideration of the nature of the texture, and the proportions of fluorite and calcite present(～29 and 71 mol%,respectively), indicates that these textures most likely formed either through the immiscible separation of carbonate and fluoride melts, or from cotectic crystallization of a carbonatefluoride melt. Laser ablation ICP-MS analyses show the pure fluorite inclusions to be depleted in REE relative to the calcite. A model is proposed, in which a carbonate-fluoride melt phase enriched in Zr and the REE, separated from a phonolitic melt, and then either unmixed or underwent cotectic crystallization to generate an REE-rich carbonate melt and an REE-poor fluoride phase. The separation of the fluoride phase(either solid or melt) may have contributed to the enrichment of the carbonate melt in REE, and ultimately its saturation with REE minerals. Previous data have suggested that carbonate melts separated from silicate melts are relatively depleted in the REE, and thus melt immiscibility cannot result in the formation of REE-enriched carbonatites. The observations presented here provide a mechanism by which this could occur, as under either model the textures imply initial separation of a mixed carbonate-fluoride melt from a silicate magma. The separation of an REEenriched carbonate-fluoride melt from phonolitic magma is a hitherto unrecognized mechanism for REE-enrichment in carbonatites, and may play an important role in the formation of shallow magmatic REE deposits.

REE Geochemistry of Fluorite from the Maoniuping REE Deposit,Sichuan Province,China:Implications for the Source of Ore-forming Fluids

Fluorite is one of the main gangue minerals in the Maoniuping REE deposit, Sichuan Province, China. Fluorite with different colors occurs not only within various orebodies, but also in wallrocks of the orefield. Based on REE geochemistry, fluorite in the orefleld can be classified as the LREE-rich, LREE-flat and LREE-depleted types. The three types of fluorite formed at different stages from the same hydrothermal fluid source, with the LREE-rich fluorite forming at the relatively early stage, the LREE-flat fluorite in the middle, and the LREE-depleted fluorite at the latest stage. Various lines of evidence demonstrate that the variation of the REE contents of fluorite shows no relation to the color. The mineralization of the Maouiuping REE deposit is associated spatially and temporally with carbonatite-syenite magmatism and the ore-forming fluids are mainly derived from carbonatite and syenite melts.

REE Characteristics of a New Uranium Mineral from the Xianshi Uranium Deposit, South China

Objective Galuskin et al. （2011） firstly discovered that vorlanite （CaU^6＋/4＋）04 is a rare Ca-rich mineral with a fluorite-type structure, which is isostructural with uraninite （U^4＋O2）. Previous studies of the Xianshi granite-related uranium deposit reported that uraninite and pyrite are the major ore minerals whereas galena, clausthalite （PbSe）, and pyrite are minor phases in the ores. A more detailed petrographic and geochronological study of the uranium minerals from the Xianshi deposit showed that there are three distinct types of uraninite-bearing assemblages which formed at three mineralization episodes （Fig. la; Luo et al., 2015）.

Geochemical Characteristics of Rare Earth Elements in Guposhan Granite Complex and Their Petrogenetic Implication

In this paper the geochemical characteristics of rare earth elements in Guposhan granite complex in Nanling Area,South China,is systematically studied,and the balance of REE distribution in rock-forming minerals, which contain only 21.47～29.71 wt% of total REE in granites,is calculated.The petrogenetic relationship be- tween three different stages of the granites in the complex is discussed,and a geochemical model is suggested for the formation of granitic magma in early stage by partial melting of the crustal basement rocks containing more REE than that in the late stage.It shows that a ion-adsorption type of REE deposit could ocuur in the weath- ering crust on the early stage granite.Rb-Sr isotope isochron dating of the first stage medium-coarse-grained K-feldspar granite shows that its age is 146.5 Ma and initial ^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratio is 0.71198.

Zircon U-Pb age, Trace Element, and Hf Isotopic Compositions of Nordmarkite in the Lizhuang Rare Earth Element Deposit in the Western Margin of the Yangtze Block

The Mianning-Dechang （MD） rare earth element （REE） belt, located in the northern Kangdian axis （KDA） in the western margin of the Yangtze platform, is one of the most economically significant REE mineral belts in China. REE mineralization is associated with Himalayan carbonatite- alkaline complexes. The Lizhuang nordmarkite occurred in the northern part of the MD REE belt. The majority of zircons from the Lizhuang nordmarkite are characterized by pronounced positive Ce yet slightly negative Eu anomalies and high U/Yb. Moreover, all zircons have stable Hf isotopic compositions with initial 176Hf/177Hf ratios ranging from 0.282739 to 0.282808 and an average value of 0.282773. The negative Lu/Hf and positive till（t） range from -0.98 to -0.94 （average value of -0.96） and from -0.56 to 1.89 （the majority is positive, with an average of 0.66）, respectively. These characteristics indicate that the rock is derived from an enriched mantle and subducted material. LA-ICP-MS analysis of the zircons from the intrusion yields a weighted mean 2~6pb/23SU age of 28.57~0.61Ma. During this period, the tectonic activity in the KDA is not plate subduction but an intraplate tectonic exhibiting fold-thrust and strike-slip behaviors in the western marginal zone of the Yangtze platform （WMYB）. We suggest the possibility of an existing eastward old slab subduction under WMYB combined with a regional tectonic evolution. The Lizhuang nordmarkite may be derived from an enriched mantle beneath the western part of the Yangtze craton, which originated from the remelting of the Tethys subducting slab, because of the Himalayan strike-slip that formed a special type of REE deposit called strike-slip-type REE deposits.

Source of ore-forming substances and theoretical problems of metallogeny relevant to the Bayan Obo Fe-REE ore deposits in Inner Mongolia,China

The source of rare earth elements (REE) ore-forming substances is identified to be extremely distinct from that of iron ores.The Bayan Obo Fe-REE ore deposits were generated by a composite process of both crustal and mantle source mineralization.The original iron bodies are of a sedimentary deposit from supergenesis,while the REE ores have been formed by mantle fluid metasomatism superimposed upon the pre-existing iron bodies.It is believed that the REE ore deposit would be controlled by intracontinental hot spot.The H_8 dolomite in mine regions belongs to normal sedimentary carbonate rock,its C and O isotopic composition rules out the possibility comparable with magrnatic carbonatite.The Sm-Nd isochrons of separated REE minerals have shown two REE peak mineralization periods:early-middle Proterozoic (1 700 Ma±480 Ma) and Caledonia (424-402 Ma).