The Bayan Obo deposit in northern China is an ultra-large Fe–REE–Nb deposit.The occurrences,and geochemical characteristics of thorium in iron ores from the Bayan Obo Main Ore Body were examined using chemical analy...The Bayan Obo deposit in northern China is an ultra-large Fe–REE–Nb deposit.The occurrences,and geochemical characteristics of thorium in iron ores from the Bayan Obo Main Ore Body were examined using chemical analysis,field emission scanning electron microscopy,energy dispersive spectrometer,and automatic mineral analysis software.Results identified that 91.69%of ThO2 in the combined samples was mainly distributed in rare earth minerals(bastnaesite,huanghoite,monazite;56.43%abundance in the samples),iron minerals(magnetite,hematite,pyrite;20.97%),niobium minerals(aeschynite;14.29%),and gangue minerals(aegirine,riebeckite,mica,dolomite,apatite,fluorite;4.22%).An unidentified portion(4.09%)of ThO2 may occur in other niobium minerals(niobite,ilmenorutile,pyrochlore).Only a few independent minerals of thorium occur in the iron ore samples.Thorium mainly occurs in rare earth minerals in the form of isomorphic substitution.Analyses of the geochemical characteristics of the major elements indicate that thorium mineralization in the Main Ore Body was related to alkali metasomatism,which provided source material and favorable porosity for hydrothermal mineralization.Trace elements such as Sc,Nb,Zr,and Ta have higher correlation coefficients with thorium,which resulted from being related to the relevant minerals formed during thorium mineralization.In addition,correlation analysis of ThO2 and TFe,and REO and TFe in the six types of iron ore samples showed that ThO2 did not always account for the highest distribution rate in rare earth minerals,and the main occurrence minerals of ThO2 were closely related to iron ore types.展开更多
The Bayan Obo in the northern North China Craton is the world’s largest light rare earth element(LREE)deposit and the largest niobium(Nb)and thorium(Th)deposit in China(e.g.,Wu,2008;Kynicky et al.,2012;Ling et al.,
The West Mine of the Bayan Obo deposit, located in the northern-central part of Inner Mongolia, China, is enriched in Nb, rare earth elements and iron (Nb-REE-Fe) mineral resources. This paper presents a combined me...The West Mine of the Bayan Obo deposit, located in the northern-central part of Inner Mongolia, China, is enriched in Nb, rare earth elements and iron (Nb-REE-Fe) mineral resources. This paper presents a combined method to explore metallogenic correlation of the Nb-REE-Fe mineralization at the Bayan Obo West Mine. The method integrates factor analysis and Back Propagation (BP) neural network technology into processing and modeling of geological data. In this study, the Nb and REE contents of samples were transformed into discrete values to analyze the correlations among the metallogenic elements. The results show weak mineralization correlations between Nb and REEs. Nb and U are closely related in the geochemical patterns, while Fe is closely related to both Th and Mn. LREEs are an important factor for the mineralization of the Bayan Obo deposit, while Fe and Nb can be considered as the results of passive mineralization. On the basis of a metallogenic correlation analysis, the factors affecting the Fe-REE-Nb mineralization were extracted, and the Nb mineralization model was established by the BP neural network. Based on the BP neural network data computing, the variability of the Nb concentration displays a coupled multi-factor nonlinear relationship, which can be used to reveal the inherent metallogenic elemental regularities and predict the degree of element mineralization enrichment in the mining area.展开更多
Bayan Obo deposit in Inner Mongolia,China is not only the largest Iron-LREE-niobium deposit known in the world but also a giant fluorite deposit.Banded and streaky fluorite-rich REE-iron ores,bastnasiteapatite -pyroxe...Bayan Obo deposit in Inner Mongolia,China is not only the largest Iron-LREE-niobium deposit known in the world but also a giant fluorite deposit.Banded and streaky fluorite-rich REE-iron ores,bastnasiteapatite -pyroxene-fluorite ores,high-Fe,REEs,and fluorite ores,monazite(bastnaesite)-fluorite(low-Fe, high REE) ores etc.are widely disseminated in the Main and the East ore bodies.In 1985,proven展开更多
REE-fluorocarbonates as major REE minerals in the Bayan Obo deposit, the largestREE deposit in the world, were analyzed for their stable isotopic compositions. The δ13C andδ18O values of huanghoite, cebaite and bast...REE-fluorocarbonates as major REE minerals in the Bayan Obo deposit, the largestREE deposit in the world, were analyzed for their stable isotopic compositions. The δ13C andδ18O values of huanghoite, cebaite and bastnaesite from late-stage veins vary in the ranges of -7. 8 - - 4. 0‰ and 6. 7 - 9. 4‰ respectively. These data are relatively similar tO those ofbastnaesites from banded ores: δ13C - 5. 6 - - 5. 2‰ and δ18O 3. 6 - 5. 5‰ The REEfluorocarbonates from both late-stage veins and banded ores are characterized by lower δ13C andδ18O values, especially the δ18O values of bastnaesites from banded ores. Compared with them,the disseminated bastnaesits the dolomite-type ores possess rather high δ13C and δ18O values, i.e., - 2. 1 - - O. 4‰ and 8. 6 - 12. 9‰ respectively. The high values are typical of thesedimentary host dolomite rocks as well as of the dolomite-type ores. The carbon and oxygenisotopic characteristics of REE fluorocarbonate minerals provide new evidence for the hypothesison the origin of Bayan Obo deposit-epigenetic hydrothermal metasomatism.展开更多
Bayan Obo ore deposit is the largest rare-earth element(REE) resource,and the second largest niobium(Nb) resource in the world.Due to the complicated element/mineral compositions and involving several geological e...Bayan Obo ore deposit is the largest rare-earth element(REE) resource,and the second largest niobium(Nb) resource in the world.Due to the complicated element/mineral compositions and involving several geological events,the REE enrichment mechanism and genesis of this giant deposit still remains intense debated.The deposit is hosted in the massive dolomite,and nearly one hundred carbonatite dykes occur in the vicinity of the deposit.The carbonatite dykes can be divided into three types from early to late:dolomite,co-existing dolomite-calcite and calcite type,corresponding to different evolutionary stages of carbonatite magmatism based on the REE and trace element data.The latter always has higher REE content.The origin of the ore-hosting dolomite at Bayan Obo has been addressed in various models,ranging from a normal sedimentary carbonate rocks to volcano-sedimentary sequence,and a large carbonatitic intrusion.More geochemical evidences show that the coarse-grained dolomite represents a Mesoproterozoic carbonatite pluton and the fine-grained dolomite resulted from the extensive REE mineralization and modification of the coarse-grained variety.The ore bodies,distributed along an E-W striking belt,occur as large lenses and underwent more intense fluoritization and fenitization.The first episode mineralization is characterized by disseminated mineralization in the dolomite.The second or main-episode is banded and/or massive mineralization,cut by the third episode consisting of aegirinerich veins.Various dating methods gave different mineralization ages at Bayan Obo,resulting in long and hot debates.Compilation of available data suggests that the mineralization is rather variable with two peaks at~1400 and 440 Ma.The early mineralization peak closes in time to the intrusion of the carbonatite dykes.A significant thermal event at ca.440 Ma resulted in the formation of late-stage veins with coarse crystals of REE minerals.Fluids involving in the REE-Nb-Fe mineralization at Bayan Obo might be REE-F-C02-NaCI-H20 system.The presence of REE-carbonates as an abundant solid in the ores shows that the original ore-forming fluids are very rich in REE,and therefore,have the potential to produce economic REE ores at Bayan Obo.the Bayan Obo deposit is a product of mantle-derived carbonatitic magmatism at ca.1400 Ma,which was likely related to the breakup of Columbia.Some remobilization of REE occurred due to subduction of the Palaeo-Asian oceanic plate during the Silurian,forming weak vein-like mineralization.展开更多
The Proterozoic anorogenic magmatic rocks are well developed in the Bayan Obo deposit region. They are composed of trachyte, magnesioarfvedesonite-feldspatite, potash-rhyolite, dacite, rhyolite, quartz porphyry and tr...The Proterozoic anorogenic magmatic rocks are well developed in the Bayan Obo deposit region. They are composed of trachyte, magnesioarfvedesonite-feldspatite, potash-rhyolite, dacite, rhyolite, quartz porphyry and trachy basalt. A lot of high-K diabase veins (dykes) are also found. These anorogenic magmatic rocks are derived from the mantle. They have lowerεNd (t) (4.52-5.88) with T(Nd DM)=1.54-1.92 Ga. Their Nd isotopic compositions and T(Nd DM)are consistent with those of ores, implying that the ore-forming materials were derived from these anorogenic magmatic rocks. The zircon U-Pb ages of the rocks are 1.8 Ga. Research results indicate that the Bayan Obo Group was replaced by the hydrothermal solution related to the anorogenic magmatic rocks, resulting in the formation of the deposit.展开更多
基金supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) (2012CBA01200)Northern Rare Earth Science and Technology Project (BFXT-2015D-0002) and (2016H1928)
文摘The Bayan Obo deposit in northern China is an ultra-large Fe–REE–Nb deposit.The occurrences,and geochemical characteristics of thorium in iron ores from the Bayan Obo Main Ore Body were examined using chemical analysis,field emission scanning electron microscopy,energy dispersive spectrometer,and automatic mineral analysis software.Results identified that 91.69%of ThO2 in the combined samples was mainly distributed in rare earth minerals(bastnaesite,huanghoite,monazite;56.43%abundance in the samples),iron minerals(magnetite,hematite,pyrite;20.97%),niobium minerals(aeschynite;14.29%),and gangue minerals(aegirine,riebeckite,mica,dolomite,apatite,fluorite;4.22%).An unidentified portion(4.09%)of ThO2 may occur in other niobium minerals(niobite,ilmenorutile,pyrochlore).Only a few independent minerals of thorium occur in the iron ore samples.Thorium mainly occurs in rare earth minerals in the form of isomorphic substitution.Analyses of the geochemical characteristics of the major elements indicate that thorium mineralization in the Main Ore Body was related to alkali metasomatism,which provided source material and favorable porosity for hydrothermal mineralization.Trace elements such as Sc,Nb,Zr,and Ta have higher correlation coefficients with thorium,which resulted from being related to the relevant minerals formed during thorium mineralization.In addition,correlation analysis of ThO2 and TFe,and REO and TFe in the six types of iron ore samples showed that ThO2 did not always account for the highest distribution rate in rare earth minerals,and the main occurrence minerals of ThO2 were closely related to iron ore types.
基金financially supported by the National Basic Research Program of China (2012CB416604)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41372230, 41572204)the China Geological Survey (1212011121070)
文摘The Bayan Obo in the northern North China Craton is the world’s largest light rare earth element(LREE)deposit and the largest niobium(Nb)and thorium(Th)deposit in China(e.g.,Wu,2008;Kynicky et al.,2012;Ling et al.,
基金supported by National Key Research and Development Program(Grant No.2016YFC0501102)National Science and Technology Major Project(Grant No.2016ZX05066-001)
文摘The West Mine of the Bayan Obo deposit, located in the northern-central part of Inner Mongolia, China, is enriched in Nb, rare earth elements and iron (Nb-REE-Fe) mineral resources. This paper presents a combined method to explore metallogenic correlation of the Nb-REE-Fe mineralization at the Bayan Obo West Mine. The method integrates factor analysis and Back Propagation (BP) neural network technology into processing and modeling of geological data. In this study, the Nb and REE contents of samples were transformed into discrete values to analyze the correlations among the metallogenic elements. The results show weak mineralization correlations between Nb and REEs. Nb and U are closely related in the geochemical patterns, while Fe is closely related to both Th and Mn. LREEs are an important factor for the mineralization of the Bayan Obo deposit, while Fe and Nb can be considered as the results of passive mineralization. On the basis of a metallogenic correlation analysis, the factors affecting the Fe-REE-Nb mineralization were extracted, and the Nb mineralization model was established by the BP neural network. Based on the BP neural network data computing, the variability of the Nb concentration displays a coupled multi-factor nonlinear relationship, which can be used to reveal the inherent metallogenic elemental regularities and predict the degree of element mineralization enrichment in the mining area.
文摘Bayan Obo deposit in Inner Mongolia,China is not only the largest Iron-LREE-niobium deposit known in the world but also a giant fluorite deposit.Banded and streaky fluorite-rich REE-iron ores,bastnasiteapatite -pyroxene-fluorite ores,high-Fe,REEs,and fluorite ores,monazite(bastnaesite)-fluorite(low-Fe, high REE) ores etc.are widely disseminated in the Main and the East ore bodies.In 1985,proven
文摘REE-fluorocarbonates as major REE minerals in the Bayan Obo deposit, the largestREE deposit in the world, were analyzed for their stable isotopic compositions. The δ13C andδ18O values of huanghoite, cebaite and bastnaesite from late-stage veins vary in the ranges of -7. 8 - - 4. 0‰ and 6. 7 - 9. 4‰ respectively. These data are relatively similar tO those ofbastnaesites from banded ores: δ13C - 5. 6 - - 5. 2‰ and δ18O 3. 6 - 5. 5‰ The REEfluorocarbonates from both late-stage veins and banded ores are characterized by lower δ13C andδ18O values, especially the δ18O values of bastnaesites from banded ores. Compared with them,the disseminated bastnaesits the dolomite-type ores possess rather high δ13C and δ18O values, i.e., - 2. 1 - - O. 4‰ and 8. 6 - 12. 9‰ respectively. The high values are typical of thesedimentary host dolomite rocks as well as of the dolomite-type ores. The carbon and oxygenisotopic characteristics of REE fluorocarbonate minerals provide new evidence for the hypothesison the origin of Bayan Obo deposit-epigenetic hydrothermal metasomatism.
基金financed by Major State Basic Research Development Program(No.2012CB416605)Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41372099)
文摘Bayan Obo ore deposit is the largest rare-earth element(REE) resource,and the second largest niobium(Nb) resource in the world.Due to the complicated element/mineral compositions and involving several geological events,the REE enrichment mechanism and genesis of this giant deposit still remains intense debated.The deposit is hosted in the massive dolomite,and nearly one hundred carbonatite dykes occur in the vicinity of the deposit.The carbonatite dykes can be divided into three types from early to late:dolomite,co-existing dolomite-calcite and calcite type,corresponding to different evolutionary stages of carbonatite magmatism based on the REE and trace element data.The latter always has higher REE content.The origin of the ore-hosting dolomite at Bayan Obo has been addressed in various models,ranging from a normal sedimentary carbonate rocks to volcano-sedimentary sequence,and a large carbonatitic intrusion.More geochemical evidences show that the coarse-grained dolomite represents a Mesoproterozoic carbonatite pluton and the fine-grained dolomite resulted from the extensive REE mineralization and modification of the coarse-grained variety.The ore bodies,distributed along an E-W striking belt,occur as large lenses and underwent more intense fluoritization and fenitization.The first episode mineralization is characterized by disseminated mineralization in the dolomite.The second or main-episode is banded and/or massive mineralization,cut by the third episode consisting of aegirinerich veins.Various dating methods gave different mineralization ages at Bayan Obo,resulting in long and hot debates.Compilation of available data suggests that the mineralization is rather variable with two peaks at~1400 and 440 Ma.The early mineralization peak closes in time to the intrusion of the carbonatite dykes.A significant thermal event at ca.440 Ma resulted in the formation of late-stage veins with coarse crystals of REE minerals.Fluids involving in the REE-Nb-Fe mineralization at Bayan Obo might be REE-F-C02-NaCI-H20 system.The presence of REE-carbonates as an abundant solid in the ores shows that the original ore-forming fluids are very rich in REE,and therefore,have the potential to produce economic REE ores at Bayan Obo.the Bayan Obo deposit is a product of mantle-derived carbonatitic magmatism at ca.1400 Ma,which was likely related to the breakup of Columbia.Some remobilization of REE occurred due to subduction of the Palaeo-Asian oceanic plate during the Silurian,forming weak vein-like mineralization.
文摘The Proterozoic anorogenic magmatic rocks are well developed in the Bayan Obo deposit region. They are composed of trachyte, magnesioarfvedesonite-feldspatite, potash-rhyolite, dacite, rhyolite, quartz porphyry and trachy basalt. A lot of high-K diabase veins (dykes) are also found. These anorogenic magmatic rocks are derived from the mantle. They have lowerεNd (t) (4.52-5.88) with T(Nd DM)=1.54-1.92 Ga. Their Nd isotopic compositions and T(Nd DM)are consistent with those of ores, implying that the ore-forming materials were derived from these anorogenic magmatic rocks. The zircon U-Pb ages of the rocks are 1.8 Ga. Research results indicate that the Bayan Obo Group was replaced by the hydrothermal solution related to the anorogenic magmatic rocks, resulting in the formation of the deposit.