Carbonatites in a subduction system: The Pleistocene alvikites from Mt. Vulture (southern Italy)

We report here, for the first time, on the new finding of extrusive calciocarbonatite (alvikite) rocks from the Pleistocene Mt. Vulture volcano (southern Italy). These volcanic rocks, which represent an outstanding occurrence in the wider scenario of the Italian potassic magmatism, form lavas, pyroclastic deposits, and feeder dikes exposed on the northern slope of the volcano. The petrography, mineralogy and whole-rock chemistry attest the genuine carbonatitic nature of these rocks, that are characterized by high to very high contents of Sr, Ba, U, LREE, Nb, P, F, Th, high Nb/Ta and LREE/HREE ratios, and low contents of Ti, Zr, K, Rb, Na and Cs. The O–C isotope compositions are close to the “primary igneous carbonatite” field and, thus, are compatible with an ultimate mantle origin for these rocks. The Sr–Nd–Pb–B isotope compositions, measured both in the alvikites and in the silicate volcanic rocks, indicate a close genetic relationship between the alvikites and the associated melilitite/nephelinite rocks. Furthermore, these latter products are geochemically distinct from the main foiditic-phonolitic association of Mt. Vulture. We propose a petrogenetic/geodynamic interpretation which has important implications for understanding the relationships between carbonatites and orogenic activity. In particular, we propose that the studied alvikites are generated through liquid unmixing at crustal levels, starting from nephelinitic or melilititic parent liquids. These latter were produced in a hybrid mantle resulting from the interaction through a vertical slab window, between a metasomatized mantle wedge, moving eastward from the Tyrrhenian/Campanian region, and the local Adriatic mantle. The occurrence of carbonatite rocks at Mt. Vulture, that lies on the leading edge of the Southern Apennines accretionary prism, is taken as an evidence for the carbonatation of the mantle sources of this volcano. We speculate that mantle carbonatation is related to the introduction of sedimentary carbon from the Adriatic lithosphere during Tertiary subduction.     

The geochemistry of carbonatites and related rocks from two carbonatite complexes,south Nyanza,Kenya

Carbonatites, metasomatised country rocks, and carbonatitic calcite and magnetite have been analysed from two carbonatite complexes, Homa and Wasaki, W. Kenya.The carbonatites are all greatly Ce-earth enriched, contain abundant ‘carbonatitic’ trace elements (Sr, Ba, Nb and REE), and generally low concentrations of Cr, Co, Ni, Pb, Ga, Ge, Sn, Bi, Li and Mo. At both complexes early søvite is rich in Sr, and impoverished in other trace elements relative to the alvikites. The late-intruded melacarbonatites contain the greatest concentrations of Ba, REE, Fe and Mn.It is concluded that the accumulation of these elements in the later carbonatites is mainly due to fractionation of carbonates from carbonatite magma which was initially rich in ‘carbonatitic’ trace elements.     

Textural, chemical, and isotopic effects of late-magmatic carbonatitic fluids in the carbonatite–syenite Tamazeght complex, High Atlas Mountains, Morocco

Carbonatites of the Eocene Tamazeght complex, High Atlas Mountains, Morocco, consist of calciocarbonatites (alvikite and sövite dykes) and magnesiocarbonatites (diatreme breccias and dykes rocks). These are associated with ultramafic, shonkinitic, gabbroic to monzonitic and various foid syenitic silicate units. Stable and radiogenic isotope compositions for carbonatites and silicate rocks indicate that they share a common source in the mantle, although for some carbonatitic samples contamination with sedimentary rocks seems important. The observed isotopic heterogeneity is mainly attributed to source characteristics, fractional crystallization (accompanied by various degrees of assimilation), and late- to post-magmatic fluid–rock interaction. During the late fluid–rock interaction, Sr, Mn, and possibly also Fe were mobilized and redistributed to form secondary carbonate minerals in carbonatites. These fluids also penetrated into the adjacent syenitic rocks, causing enrichment in the same elements.     

The carbonate fraction in carbonatitic Italian lamprophyres

Alkaline and ultramafic lamprophyres represent the majority of pre-Pleistocene alkaline mafic magmatic activity in Italy and have been described from several localities. The age of magmatism ranges from Triassic to Lower Oligocene. Some contain appreciable amounts of carbonate. The primary carbonate of the Italian carbonatitic lamprophyres is mainly Sr- or Mn-rich calcite that occurs mostly as immiscible ocelli or as groundmass. Its textural occurrence, composition, and relationship with co-precipitating silicate phases is taken as evidence of an igneous origin. Low BaO and REE contents in the carbonate are explained by early crystallization of essential mica and subordinate apatite. Whole rock analyses and isotopic data (Rukhlov, A.S., Bell, K., Vichi, G., Stoppa, F., submitted for publication. The heterogeneous deep mantle: the Sr, Pb and Nd isotopic evidence from Early Cretaceous alkaline lamprophyres of Southern Tuscany, Italy. Lithos.) suggest a mantle origin for these rocks and rule out contamination in either high or low pressure regimes. The bulk compositions of the carbonatitic lamprophyres have high HFSE / LILE and LREE / HREE ratios and although the abundances of these elements are generally lower than for carbonatites s.s., they are comparable with the abundances in other ‘carbonate-free’ Italian lamprophyres and Italian carbonatites, suggesting similar mantle sources. Moreover, the age of the Italian lamprophyres, ranging from Middle Triassic to Lower Oligocene, is much greater than the Pleistocene age of Italian carbonatites and indicates that the source remained similar over a long time span.     

Calcio-carbonatite melts and metasomatism in the mantle beneath Mt. Vulture (Southern Italy)

At Mt. Vulture volcano (Basilicata, Italy) calcite globules (5–150 μm) are hosted by silicate glass pools or veins cross-cutting amphibole-bearing, or more common spinel-bearing mantle xenoliths and xenocrysts. The carbonate globules are rounded or elongated and are composed of a mosaic of 2–20 μm crystals, with varying optical orientation. These features are consistent with formation from a quenched calciocarbonatite melt. Where in contact with carbonate amphibole has reacted to form fassaitic pyroxene. Some of these globules contain liquid/gaseous CO₂ bubbles and sulphide inclusions, and are pierced by quench microphenocrysts of silicate phases. The carbonate composition varies from calcite to Mg-calcite (3.8–5.0 wt.% MgO) both within the carbonate globules and from globule to globule. Trace element contents of the carbonate, determined by LAICPMS, are similar to those of carbonatites worldwide including ΣREE up to 123 ppm. The Sr–Nd isotope ratios of the xenolith carbonate are similar to the extrusive carbonatite and silicate rocks of Mt. Vulture testifying to derivation from the same mantle source. Formation of immiscibile silicate–carbonatite liquids within mantle xenoliths occurred via disequilibrium immiscibility during their exhumation.     

火成碳酸岩的实验岩石学研究及对地球深部碳循环的意义

火成碳酸岩是地表出露较少的幔源岩石之一。实验岩石学研究表明碳酸盐化的橄榄岩和循环的地壳物质(如碳酸盐化榴辉岩或泥质岩)的低程度(<1%)部分熔融均可以产生碳酸岩质的熔体,其中碳酸盐化泥质岩具有最低的熔融温度且更加富碱质、CO2和不相容元素;富CO2的霞石质等硅酸盐岩浆也可以通过不混溶或分离结晶作用产生碳酸岩,用于解释碳酸岩在空间中常与碱性硅酸岩的共生关系。由于碳酸岩熔体具有极低的粘度和高的活性,形成后在上升过程中会将二辉橄榄岩转变为异剥橄榄岩,是引起地幔交代作用和地幔地球化学不均一性的重要介质之一。实验表明在俯冲作用过程中,大多数的碳酸盐在位于岛弧之下的含水熔融并不分解而是被带入到深部地幔并且稳定存在,含碳地幔的熔融又会形成碳酸岩质的熔体,这说明俯冲循环物质可能对碳酸岩的成因也起着重要的作用。然而,对于碳酸岩的初始熔体成分、岩浆演化、地幔交代作用、成矿特征以及碳从地球深部返回到地表的途径和过程等都存在着很大的争议。我国火成碳酸岩出露相对较多,分布广泛,因此,加强我国碳酸岩以及伴生硅酸岩的成因研究,同时开展与碳酸岩相关的实验岩石学工作,不仅可以检验现有的成因理论,而且有助于提高我国对火成碳酸岩的研究水平;由于其特殊的成因背景,还可为许多存在很大争议的重大地质事件提供新的科学依据。     

New data on carbonatites of the Il’mensky-Vishnevogorsky alkaline complex,the southern Urals,Russia

Carbonatites that are hosted in metamorphosed ultramafic massifs in the roof of miaskite intrusions of the Il’mensky-Vishnevogorsky alkaline complex are considered. Carbonatites have been revealed in the Buldym, Khaldikha, Spirikha, and Kagan massifs. The geological setting, structure of carbonatite bodies, distribution of accessory rare-metal mineralization, typomorphism of rock-forming minerals, geochemistry, and Sr and Nd isotopic compositions are discussed. Dolomite-calcite carbonatites hosted in ultramafic rocks contain tetraferriphlogopite, richterite, accessory zircon, apatite, magnetite, ilmenite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, and pyrochlore. According to geothermometric data and the composition of rock-forming minerals, the dolomite-calcite carbonatites were formed under K-feldspar-calcite, albite-calcite, and amphibole-dolomite-calcite facies conditions at 575–300°C. The Buldym pyrochlore deposit is related to carbonatites of these facies. In addition, dolomite carbonatites with accessory Nb and REE mineralization (monazite, aeschynite, allanite, REE-pyrochlore, and columbite) are hosted in ultramafic massifs. The dolomite carbonatites were formed under chlorite-sericite-ankerite facies conditions at 300–200°C. The Spirikha REE deposit is related to dolomite carbonatite and alkaline metasomatic rocks. It has been established that carbonatites hosted in ultramafic rocks are characterized by high Sr, Ba, and LREE contents and variable Nb, Zr, Ti, V, and Th contents similar to the geochemical attributes of calcio-and magnesiocarbonatites. The low initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr = 0.7044?0.7045 and εNd ranging from 0.65 to ?3.3 testify to their derivation from a deep mantle source of EM₁ type.     

鲁中碳酸岩成岩分析及其含矿性

鲁中隆起北缘分布有100多个燕山期的碳酸岩体.它们的分布受淄河断裂及禹王山断裂派生的次级断裂控制。主要有碳酸云母岩、云母碳酸岩及碳酸角砾岩三类碳酸岩,多呈岩床产出,另有两个角砾岩筒。根据产状、结构、构造、化学成分及矿物中包裹体等特征,认为是与金伯利岩有成因联系的岩浆产物。推测其深部可能存在一个较大的碳酸岩体,可能出现以稀有元素Nb为主的矿化。     

Petrology of potassic alkaline ultramafic and carbonatitic rocks from Planalto da Serra (Mato Grosso State), Brazil

The Planalto da Serra igneous rocks form plugs, necks and dykes of carbonate-rich ultramafic lamprophyres (aillikites and glimmerites with kamafugitic affinity) and carbonatites (alvikites and beforsites). Phlogopite and/or tetraphlogopite, diopside and melanitic garnet are restricted to aillikitic rock-types, whereas pyroclore occurs only in carbonatites. Aillikites and carbonatites are altered to hydrotermalites, having chlorite and serpentine as dominant minerals. Planalto da Serra igneous rock association has kamafugitic affinity (i.e. effusive, ultrapotassic. High LREE/HREE fractionation, incompatible elements data and Sr-Nd isotopes, suggest that the K-ultramafic alkaline and carbonatite rocks originated from a variably metasomatized mantle source enriched in radiogenic Sr. Crustal contamination is negligible or absent. Age values of 600 Ma rule out the geochronological relationship between the investigated intrusions and the Mesozoic alkaline bodies from the Azimuth 125° lineament. The TDM model ages allow to conclude that Planalto da Serra magma is derived from the partial melting of a mantle source metasomatised by K-rich carbonatated melt during the Early to Late Neoproterozoic. On the basis of alkaline magmatism repetitions at 600 Ma and 90–80 Ma we question the subsistence of a stationary mantle plume for so long time.     

Metacarbonatite or marble? — the case of the carbonate,pyroxenite, calcite–apatite rock complex at Borra,Eastern Ghats,India

Carbonatites are often of economic importance, which raises the problem of distinguishing carbonatites from limestones when either are metamorphosed to high-grade marbles. They can be of similar appearance, particularly those from the Proterozoic and Archaean of the Indian Subcontinent. This study also contributes to solving the problem of determining the frequency of alkaline and carbonatitic magmatism during the early history of the Earth.The mineral assemblage of apatite–magnetite–phlogopite–calcite is common to marbles of both carbonatite and limestone origin. If pyrochlore is present that identifies the rock as carbonatite; if anorthite, fassaite, scapolite or spinel then it was formerly a limestone. If these minerals are absent, then trace element analysis can supply the critical Sr and REE data, which are both normally high in carbonatitic rocks and low in former limestones. These distinguishing factors are applied to the metamorphic carbonate, pyroxenite, calcite–apatite rock complex at Borra, Eastern Ghats, India, which has been variously interpreted as formerly a carbonatite and as a limestone. The evidence shows that the Borra rocks are meta-sedimentary.     

Carbonatite nomenclature

Based upon the composition of carbonatites of the Fen Complex in Norway and the Alnö Complex in Sweden, the following nomenclature of carbonatitic rocks is suggested: Carbonatites (> 70 % carbonate minerals), sub-divided into the calcitic sövites and alvikites, the dolomitic to ankeritic rauhaugites and beforsites and the alkali-carbonatitic lengaite. Silico-carbonatites are rocks with 50–70 % carbonate minerals. They are subdivided into silico-sövites, silico-alvikites, silico-rauhaugite and silico-beforsite.     

Trace element geochemistry of the Mt Vulture carbonatites,southern Italy

The Mt Vulture carbonatites are the only carbonatite occurrence in the southern Apennines. We present new trace element data for these rocks in order to evaluate the factors influencing rare earth element (REE) and other trace element fractionations and their REE grade. This study focuses on massive hyalo-alvikites from two lava flows and one dike, which have different relative abundances of silicate and carbonate (i.e. Si/Ca). These differences are also evident from CaO/(CaO + MgO + FeO(T) + MnO) and Sr/Ba ratios. The REE grade of the Mt Vulture carbonatites is very similar to that of the global average for calcio-carbonatites. R-mode factor analysis shows that most of the trace element variance reflects the relative roles of carbonate and silicate minerals in influencing trace element distributions. Silicates largely control heavy rare earth element (HREE), transition metal, Zr, and Th abundances, whereas carbonate minerals control light rare earth element (LREE), Ba, and Pb abundances. In addition, apatite influences LREE concentrations. Increasing silica contents are accompanied by decreases in (La/Yb)N and (La/Sm)N ratios and less marked LREE enrichment. In contrast, higher carbonate contents are associated with increases in (La/Yb)N and (La/Sm)N. The Si/Ca ratio has little influence on Eu anomalies and middle rare earth element (MREE) to HREE fractionations. Apatite has a negligible effect on inter-REE fractionations amongst the carbonatites.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987110000125

<正>Carbonatites are commonly related to the accumulation of economically valuable substances such as REE.Cu,and P.The debate over the origin of carbonatites and their relationship to associated silicate rocks has been ongoing for about 45 years.Worldwide,the rocks characteristically display more geochemical enrichments in Ba,Sr and REE than sedimentary carbonate rocks.However,carbonatite's geochemical features are disputed because of secondary mineral effects.Rock-forming carbonates from carbonatites at Qinling.Panxi region,and Bayan Obo in China show REE distribution patterns ranging from LREE enrichment to flat patterns.They are characterized by a Sr content more than 10 times higher than that of secondary carbonates.The coarse- and fine-grained dolomites from Bayan Obo H8 dolomite marbles also show similar high Sr abundance,indicating that they are of igneous origin.Some carbonates in Chinese carbonatites show REE(especially HREE) contents and distribution patterns similar to those of the whole rocks.These intrusive carbonatites display lower platinum group elements and stronger fractionation between Pt and Ir relative to high-Si extrusive carbonatite.This indicates that most intrusive carbonatites may be carbonate cumulates.Maoniuping and Daluxiang in Panxi region are large REE deposits.Hydrothermal fluorite ore veins occur outside of the carbonatite bodies and are emplaced in wallrock syenite.The fiuorite in Maoniuping has Sr and Nd isotopes similar to carbonatite.The Daluxiang fiuorite shows Sr and REE compositions different from those in Maoniuping.The difference is reflected by both the carbonatites and rock-forming carbonates,indicating that REE mineralization is related to carbonatites.The cumulate processes of carbonate minerals make fractionated fluids rich in volatiles and LREE as a result of low partition coefficients for REE between carbonate and carbonatite melt and an increase from LREE to HREE.The carbonatite-derived fluid has interacted with wallrock to form REE ore veins.The amount of carbonatite dykes occurring near the Bayan Obo orebodies may support the same mineralization model,i.e.that fluids evolved from the carbonatite dykes reacted with H8 dolomite marble,and thus the different REE and isotope compositions of coarse- and fine-grained dolomite may be related to reaction processes.     

Nyerereite from carbonatite rocks at Vulture volcano: implications for mantle metasomatism and petrogenesis of alkali carbonate melts Research Article

Vulture volcano displays a wide range of mafic to alkaline, carbonate-, and/or CaO-rich volcanic rocks, with subvolcanic and plutonic rocks together with mantle xenoliths in pyroclastic ejecta. The roles of magmatic volatiles such as CO₂, S, and Cl have been determined from compositions and trapping temperatures of inclusions in phenocrysts, which include the Na-K-Ca-carbonate nyerereite within melilite. We surmise that this alkali carbonate crystallised from an appropriate carbonatitic melt at relatively high temperature. Carbonatitic metasomatic features are traceable throughout many of the mantle xenoliths, and various carbonatitic components are found in the late stage extrusive suite. There is no evidence that alkali carbonatite developed as a separate magma, but it may have been an important evolutionary stage. We compare the rare occurrence of nyerereite at Vulture with other carbonatites and with an unaltered kimberlite from the Udachnaya pipe. We review the evidence at Vulture for associated carbonatitic metasomatism in the mantle, and we suggest that low viscosity alkali carbonatitic melts may have a primary and much deeper origin than previously considered.     

Magmatic evolution of the differentiated ultramafic, alkaline and carbonatite intrusion of Vuoriyarvi (Kola Peninsula, Russia). A LA-ICP-MS study of apatite

The nature of the petrogenetic links between carbonatites and associated silicate rocks is still under discussion (i.e., [Gittins J., Harmer R.E., 2003. Myth and reality of the carbonatite–silicate rock “association”. Period di Mineral. 72, 19–26.]). In the Paleozoic Kola alkaline province (NW Russia), the carbonatites are spatially and temporally associated to ultramafic cumulates (clinopyroxenite, wehrlite and dunite) and alkaline silicate rocks of the ijolite–melteigite series [(Kogarko, 1987), (Kogarko et al., 1995), (Verhulst et al., 2000), (Dunworth and Bell, 2001) and (Woolley, 2003)]. In the small (≈ 20 km²) Vuoriyarvi massif, apatite is typically a liquidus phase during the magmatic evolution and so it can be used to test genetic relationships. Trace elements contents have been obtained for both whole rocks and apatite (by LA-ICP-MS). The apatites define a single continuous chemical evolution marked by an increase in REE and Na (belovite-type of substitution, i.e., 2Ca²⁺ = Na⁺ + REE³⁺). This evolution possibly reflects a fractional crystallisation process of a single batch of isotopically homogeneous, mantle-derived magma.The distribution of REE between apatite and their host carbonatite have been estimated from the apatite composition of a carbonatite vein, belonging to the Neskevara conical-ring-like vein system. This carbonatite vein is tentatively interpreted as a melt. So, the calculated distribution coefficients are close to partition coefficients. Rare earth elements are compatible in apatite (D > 1) with a higher compatibility for the middle REE (D_Sm : 6.1) than for the light (D_La : 4.1) and the heavy (D_Yb : 1) REE.     

Petrology and geochemistry of the carbonatite and syenite complex of Lueshe (N.E. Zaire)

The Lueshe carbonatite is intruded into schists which probably belong to the ßurundian-system. These schists show a weak fenitisation at the contact to the carbonatite complex. Petrographical and chemical investigations show that the different types of syenite of the alkaline complex belong mainly to the miaskitic group. Pyrochlore contents up to 1 vol.% are typical. The carbonatites of the Luesche alkaline complex are mainly sövites with some alvikites and beforsites. Calcite and apatite from the sövites and from the silico-sövites show a wide range of light REE contents. From a Yb/CaYb/La diagram it can be supposed that some of the carbonatites at the contact to the country schists show hydrothermal remobilisation.     

成矿碳酸岩的实验岩石学研究现状与展望

火成碳酸岩及其风化产物是全球战略性关键金属稀土元素(REE)和铌(Nb)的主要来源。因此,对关键金属在火成碳酸岩中的超常富集机理研究具有重要的科学意义。研究表明成矿碳酸岩常常与碱性杂岩体存在密切的时空联系,因而母岩浆应属于碳酸盐化的硅酸盐岩浆,并以霞石岩岩浆为主。针对碳酸岩关键金属矿床的成岩成矿过程,已有实验发现母岩浆在地壳内的演化过程中,既可以通过分离结晶作用,也可以通过液态不混溶作用形成碳酸岩。然而,更加接近自然样品的多组分体系的实验均表明液态不混溶作用总是先于碳酸盐矿物分离结晶作用。因此,液态不混溶作用对关键金属成矿过程有着不可忽视的作用。尽管如此,已有不混溶实验表明当碳酸盐熔体和硅酸盐熔体发生不混溶之后,关键金属REE与Nb总是优先分配到硅酸盐熔体(碱性岩)中,但是在成矿杂岩体中,REE与Nb是高度富集在碳酸岩中。虽然不混溶实验表明REE与Nb在碳酸盐-硅酸盐熔体中的分配系数与含水量有关,即与熔体的聚合程度有关,但是绝大部分成矿碳酸岩成矿过程一般并不富水,所以碳酸岩中REE和Nb等关键金属元素超常富集的机理并不明确。因此未来的研究应重点关注在碳酸岩演化的过程中,除了水以外,其他配体对于关键金属元素在不混溶硅酸盐-碳酸盐熔体之间分配系数是否有影响,从而找到控制碳酸岩中关键金属成矿的关键。     

Trace element and isotopic variations from Mt. Vulture to Campanian volcanoes: constraints for slab detachment and mantle inflow beneath southern Italy

New Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic ratios and trace element data for volcanic mafic rocks outcropping along a E–W transect in southern Italy, from Mt. Vulture to Neapolitan volcanoes, are reported. The variation of LILE/HFSE, HFSE/HFSE and radiogenic isotopes along this transect indicates that all of these volcanoes contain both intra-plate and subduction-related signatures, with the former decreasing from Mt. Vulture to Campanian volcanoes. New data are also reported for the Paleocene alkaline rocks from Pietre Nere (Apulia foreland), which show isotopic ratios mostly overlapping the values for Mediterranean intra-plate volcanoes as well as the Eocene–Oligocene alkaline mafic lavas from the northern Adria plate. Pietre Nere provides evidence for an OIB mantle composition of FOZO-type, free of subduction influences, that is present beneath the Adria plate (Africa) before its collision with Europe. After this collision, and formation of the southern Apennines, westward inflow of mantle from the Adria plate to the Campanian area occurred, as a consequence of slab break off. Interaction of subduction components with inflowing Adria mantle generated hybrid sources beneath the Vulture–Campania area, which can explain the compositional features of both Mt. Vulture and the Campanian mafic rocks. Therefore, mafic magmas from these volcanoes represent variable degrees of mixing between different mantle components.     

REE mineralization in the carbonatites of the sung valley ultramafic-alkaline-carbonatite complex,Meghalaya, India

The Early Cretaceous Sung Valley Ultramafic-Alkaline-Carbonatite (SUAC) complex intruded the Proterozoic Shillong Group of rocks and located in the East Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills districts of Meghalaya. The SUAC complex is a bowl-shaped depression covering an area of about 26 km² and is comprised serpentinised peridotite forming the core of the complex with pyroxenite rim. Alkaline rocks are dominantly ijolite and nepheline syenite, occur as ring-shaped bodies as well as dykes. Carbonatites are, the youngest intrusive phase in the complex, where they form oval-shaped bodies, small dykes and veins. During the course of large scale mapping in parts of the Sung Valley complex, eleven carbonatite bodies were delineated. These isolated carbonatite bodies have a general NW-SE and E-W trend and vary from 20–125 m long and 10–40 m wide. Calcite carbonatite is the dominant variety and comprises minor dolomite and apatite and accessory olivine, magnetite, pyrochlore and phlogopite. The REE-bearing minerals identified in the Sung Valley carbonatites are bastnäsite-(Ce), ancylite-(Ce), belovite-(Ce), britholite-(Ce) and pyrochlore that are associated with calcite and apatite. The presence of REE carbonates and phosphates associated with REE-Nb bearing pyrochlore enhances the economic potential of the Sung Valley carbonatites. Trace-element geochemistry also reveals an enrichment of LREEs in the carbonatites and average ΣREE value of 0.102% in 26 bed rock samples. Channel samples shows average ΣREE values of 0.103 wt%. Moreover, few samples from carbonatite bodies has indicated relatively higher values for Sn, Hf, Ta and U. Since the present study focuses surface evaluation of REE, therefore, detailed subsurface exploration will be of immense help to determine the REE and other associated mineralization of the Sung Valley carbonatite prospect.