The mineralogy of Ba- and Zr-rich alkaline pegmatites from Gordon Butte,Crazy Mountains (Montana,USA): comparisons between potassic and sodic agpaitic pegmatites

At Gordon Butte (Crazy Mountains, Montana), agpaitic nepheline-syenite pegmatites intrude potassic alkaline rocks (principally, malignites and nepheline microsyenites). All pegmatite veins are composed predominantly of potassium feldspar, nepheline, prismatic aegirine, barytolamprophyllite, wadeite, eudialyte, loparite-(Ce) and altered rinkite ("vudyavrite") embedded in spherulitic and fibrous aegirine. Well-differentiated veins contain "pockets" filled with calcite, fluorapatite, mangan-neptunite, Mn-Ti-enriched prismatic aegirine, calcium catapleiite, and an unidentified Ca-Ti silicate. The potassium feldspar corresponds to Ba-rich sanidine with relatively low Na contents. The nepheline contains low levels of SiO₂ and elevated Fe contents. The compositions of nepheline cluster in the lower portion of the Morozewicz-Buerger convergence field, indicating low-temperature crystallization and/or chemical re-equilibration of this mineral. The association of sanidine with nearly stoichiometric nepheline is unusual for agpaitic rocks and probably reflects inhibition of Al/Si ordering in the feldspar by Ba. At least four types of clinopyroxene can be distinguished on the basis of their morphology and composition. All these types correspond to Al- and Ca-poor aegirine (typically <0.6 and 2.6 wt% Al₂O₃ and CaO, respectively). The overall evolutionary trend of clinopyroxene in the Gordon Butte rocks is from Fe-poor diopside to aegirine-augite in the malignites and nepheline microsyenites, and culminates with the pegmatitic aegirine. This trend is characteristic for potassic alkaline complexes and results from preferential partitioning of Fe²⁺ into biotite during the magmatic crystallization. Barytolamprophyllite in the pegmatites is primary (as opposed to deuteric); only a few crystals contain a core composed of lamprophyllite. The evolutionary history of the Gordon Butte pegmatites can be subdivided into primary, agpaitic, and deuteric stages. The earliest paragenesis to crystallize included accessory zircon and thorite. Sr-rich loparite also precipitated relatively early serving as a major repository for Sr, REE, and Nb. During the agpaitic stage, diverse titano- and zircono-silicates (barytolamprophyllite, eudialyte, wadeite, and rinkite, among others) consumed most of the Ba, Sr, Ti, Zr, and Nb still remaining in the melt. The final stage in the evolution of the pegmatites involved interaction of the earlier-formed mineral assemblages with deuteric fluids. In common with the Rocky Boy pegmatites, Sr-REE-Na-rich fluorapatite, Ba-Fe titanates and REE-bearing carbonates (ancylite, calcio-ancylite, and bastnäsite-parisite series) are chief products of the deuteric stage. The alteration of the primary mineral assemblages by deuteric fluids also produced muscovite-zeolite pseudomorphs after nepheline, replacement of wadeite and eudialyte by catapleiite-group minerals, re-deposition of Ba in the form of hyalophane, baotite, and benitoite, and cation leaching from rinkite, eudialyte, and loparite. The mineralogy of the pegmatites from Gordon Butte, other potassic complexes, and sodic agpaitic occurrences is compared in detail.     

Zirconology of pegmatites of the Ilmeny Mountains

Zircons extracted from the nepheline and feldspar crystals of miaskitic and feldspar pegmatites, respectively, are analyzed with the SHRIMP method for the first time. The early (Silurian) zircons coincide in age (432 Ma), composition, and mineralogical peculiarities with early zircons from miaskites. It is concluded that the pegmatite melt is a derivative of the miaskite melt. Permian (240–260 Ma) metamorphic zircons are widespread in pegmatites and miaskites. Zircons from these rocks are characterized by genetic commonality.     

Crystal chemistry of nephelines from ijolites and nepheline-rich pegmatites: influence of composition and genesis on the crystal structure investigated by X-ray diffraction

Ten nepheline single crystals from five different localities representing rocks from nepheline-syenite pegmatites to urtite, ijolite and cancrinite-ijolite were investigated chemically and structurally. The chemical compositions were determined by electron microprobe, whereas the crystal structures were refined against X-ray diffraction data to R values of 0.022?C0.031. In all cases the crystal structures conformed to space group P6₃, but at the same time all crystals produced some satellite reflections testifying to the modulation effects in their structure. This work confirms the presence of satellite reflections as a universal property of nepheline and resolves some controversy about this issue present in older works. The samples show a range of compositions with variable excess of Si over Al combined with vacancies in the alkaline sites. Vacancies are present exclusively in the symmetric ditrigonal channels occupied preferentially by K atoms in natural nepheline. The influence of the variable amounts of K, Na and vacancies to the increase of volume at this site is shown to be in the order ??>K>Na. It has been confirmed that natural nepheline can partly depart from Loewenstein??s rule and show some degree of disorder in the Si/Al distribution. Most of the samples revealed a practically full Si-Al-ordering, but the crystals from one of the nepheline-syenite pegmatites in Langesundsfjord, Norway and from the type locality of ijolite, Iivaara, Finland, showed a disorder of 10?C20% suggesting a different cooling history for these rocks.     

Regular intergrowths of minerals in pegmatites from the Il’meny mountains

This paper summarizes the data on oriented intergrowths of minerals in pegmatites of the Il’meny Mountains. Two-feldspar, two-mica, biotite-amphibole, biotite-pyroxene, and pyroxene-amphibole intergrowths have been revealed in syenitic and miaskitic pegmatites. The orientation of exsolution products has been studied in sunstone (aventurine) and moonstone feldspars, nepheline, and cancrinite. Corundum-biotite-feldspar and two-mica intergrowths and exsolution lamellae occur in stellate corundum from corundum-feldspar veins. Syntactic intergrowths of various amphiboles and chlorites have been detected in pegmatoid ultramafic rocks. Regular quartz-feldspar (graphic) and two-feldspar intergrowths are typical of granitic pegmatites. Two-mica, columbite-samarskite, columbite-ilmenorutile, zircon-xenotime, cassiterite-ilmenorutile, cassiterite-ixiolite, cassiterite-tantalite, tantalite-stibiotantalite, fergusonite-columbite, pyrochlore-fergusonite, and beryl-cordierite intergrowths have been found in granitic pegmatites as well. New intergrowth laws have been established for many pairs of minerals.     

Kalsilite of the Khibiny and Lovozero alkaline plutons,Kola Peninsula

Kalsilite—a typical mineral of ore-bearing zones of the Khibiny and Lovozero plutons—was formed after low-Si and high-K nepheline in one of three ways: (1) by relatively high-temperature replacement of Na with K; (2) due to orthoclase-kalsilite poikiloblastesis in foidolites and overlapping foyaites; or (3) by replacement of nepheline with zeolite.     

Braid perthite in nepheline syenite pegmatite, Langesundsfjorden, Oslo Region (Norway)

Three occurrences of braid perthite (lamellae parallel to (110) and ( )) and micro braid perthite (lamellae parallel to ( ) and ( )) from Permian nepheline syenite pegmatites in monzonite (larvikite) of the Oslo Graben are described. All the crystals studied show a zoned arrangement with either alternating mmacro- and microperthitic bands parallel to (010) or with microperthitic cores surrounded by macroperthite and a marginal zone of plagioclase. Both types of perthite are mesoperthitic and composed of maximum microcline and low albite. Chemical analyses suggest that the alkali feldspar is stoichiometric, while precession exposures imply unusual cell parameters in the host K-feldspar phase. The macroperthite seems to have crystallized at the expense of the microperthite. The braided texture of exsolved albite lamellae may be due to some kind of strain causing cracking along the prism and pyramidal planes.     

Geochemistry of alkali syenites from the Budun massif and their petrogenetic properties (Ol’khon Island)

The first data on the geochemistry of the alkali syenite massif in Cape Budun of Ol’khon Island, where it makes contact in the south with the Khuzir gabbroid massif, are presented. Syenites occur among granite gneisses of the Sharanur dome and, like its granites, are enriched with Zr and REEs, but depleted in other trace elements. They contain anorthoclase, corundum, rare nepheline, zircon, and hercynite and are accompanied by desilicified pegmatites. Their unusual geochemical properties allow the assumption that alkaline magmas resulted from the interaction between basic and granitoid melts.     

Geochemistry, mineralogy, and radioactivity of Upper Cretaceous Abu Khruq Ring Complex, South Eastern Desert, Egypt

The upper Cretaceous Abu Khruq ring complex (ARC) is located in the South Eastern Desert between latitudes 24°00′10′′ and 24°03′15′′ N, and longitudes 33°54′50′′ and 33°58′ E and has a roughly circular shape with a diameter of 7 km. ARC is built up by major extrusion of alkaline volcanic rocks comprising mainly rhyolite porphyry and alkaline trachyte rocks at the center of the ring complex followed by successive intrusions of alkaline gabbro and syenitic rocks comprising quartz syenite (oversaturated), syenite (saturated), and nepheline syenite (undersaturated). Petrographical and geochemical studies were carried out for the rocks of the forming ARC. For mineralogical and radioactive investigations, samples were collected from the most promising locations representing the hematitized nepheline syenite, nepheline syenite pegmatites, and quartz syenite. The most important minerals comprise: phosphuranylite, zircon, monazite, xenotime, plumbopyrochlore, pyrite, huttonite, apatite, REE mineral, rutile, and atacamite. The hematitized nepheline syenite is the most U- and Th-rich rocks, where eU content in this rock ranges from 375 to 788 ppm with an average 502 ppm and the average eTh content is 2,345 ppm ranging from 1,918 to 3,067 ppm. The pegmatite syenite and quartz syenite contain relatively low concentrations of U and Th, where the average eU content are 11 and 16 ppm and average eTh contents are 27 and 327 ppm, respectively.     

Petrology and composition of rare-metal alkaline rocks in the South Gobi Desert,Mongolia

Earlier, a belt of alkali-granite plutons and a carbonatite province were discovered in the South Gobi Desert, Mongolia. The Lugingol pluton of pseudoleucitic syenites with carbonatites was assigned to the alkali-granite belt. However, new dating showed that it is 40 Myr younger than the Khan-Bogdo pluton and a large fault separates it from the alkali-granite belt. In the same part of the South Gobi Desert, a dike series of alkaline K-shonkinites with a rare-metal carbonatite vein was found by V.I. Kovalenko west of the Lugingol pluton, near Mt. Baruun Hasar Uula, and a dike series of alkali and nepheline syenites was found by us northeast of the Lugingol pluton. These data give grounds to distinguish an intrusive complex of K-alkaline shonkinites and leucitic syenites with Late Paleozoic REE-bearing carbonatites. Thus, three alkaline-rock complexes of different ages are distinguished in the South Gobi Desert. We present refined geological maps of these complexes. The plutons of all three complexes are deposits of trace elements (REE, Nb, Zr, Y, P). The chemical composition of the silicate rocks of the complex, rare-metal agpaitic pegmatites, and carbonatite and apatite rare-metal ores was considered in detail. Shonkinites from Mt. Baruun Hasar Uula and the Mountain Pass mine (United States) and their carbonatites, along with the Lugingol carbonatites, belong to a single association of K-alkaline rocks and carbonatites, as evidenced by their identical chemical, mineral, and geochemical rare-metal compositions. Rare-earth element patterns and spidergrams show similarities and differences between the rare-metal rocks of three complexes as well as paragenetic differences between their rare-metal minerals. A rare process is described—the amorphization of rare-metal minerals, related to their high-temperature crystallization in a medium with abnormal silica contents of the Khan-Bogdo pegmatites. The parental magmas of the alkali-carbonatite complexes were generated from the EM-2 contaminated mantle that had undergone recycling, whereas the parental magmas of the Khan-Bogdo agpaitic alkali granites were produced from depleted mantle.     

Some Crystallo-chemical Relations of Nephelines and Feldspars on Stjerny, North Norway

Chemical, X-ray, and optical data are given for coexisting nephelinesand potassium feldspars separated from a nepheline syenite,and of nepheline and albite from pegmatites. Li, Rb, Cs (detectedonly in one nepheline), Ba, and Sr were determined, in additionto the major elements. (Pb and Tl were not detected by the spectrographicmethod used.) Some peculiarities of the mineral structures which are consideredto be important for the partition of elements between the coexistingphases are discussed. The importance of vacancies in nephelines,and their probable restriction to the large cavities in thestructure, is emphasized. It is pointed out that since low concentrations of Rb, Cs, Pb,and Tl are found in both nepheline and feldspar, they cannotbe caused by an unfavourable nepheline structure. They are eithera property of the parent magma or are the result of the physicalconditions of crystallization (i.e. escaping gas phase). Thelow concentrations of Sr, and especially of Ba, in nephelinesare in contrast to the high contents of these elements in thecoexisting feldspars. This is explained by considering the nephelinestructure. The unit cell contains eight structural sites forthe large cations (Na, K, Ca), and there are eight valenciesto satisfy. Six of the sites are smaller than the other two,and preferentially incorporate Na (and Ca) ions. The two largersites will tend to remain as vacant sites. Those which haveto be filled in order to satisfy the charge balance, will preferentiallyincorporate the large univalent ions (K and H₃O). The higher-chargedions (Ba² and Sr²) will pull the anions closer together andreduce the size of the site. They are, therefore, rejected fromthese positions. When nephelines coexist with feldspar, theywill incorporate the maximum amount of Si possible at the temperatureof formation. The substitution of Al for Si simultaneously withthe entry of a divalent cation (as in feldpspar) is, therefore,not possible except in non-feldspathic, extremely desilicifiedrocks. Thus, the entry of a divalent cation will not effectivelyclose the vacant sites. The somewhat higher contents of Sr relativeto Ba in the nephelines is because Sr is more easily incorporatedin the small sites (with Na and Ca).     

四川容须卡伟晶岩型锂多金属矿床地球化学特征及成矿地质条件

通过分析四川容须卡伟晶岩型锂多金属矿床中酸性侵入岩和伟晶岩的地球化学特征,探讨其成矿地层、构造及岩浆岩等成矿地质条件。该矿床中酸性侵入岩为钙碱性准铝质岩石,属于Ⅰ型花岗岩系列,伟晶岩属钙碱性强过铝质岩石,二者的稀土和微量元素地球化学特征差异明显。中酸性侵入岩形成于后碰撞构造环境,与松潘—甘孜造山带碰撞造山作用有关,其物质来源可能为地壳物质的部分熔融,同时有少量幔源物质加入,伟晶岩与中酸性侵入岩可能为同源岩浆分异演化的产物。区域性推覆造山运动形成的褶皱、断层及穹隆,为含矿热液的充填和成矿元素的富集提供了有利空间。富含挥发分及稀有金属的熔体侵位于围岩,渗透率较小的泥质岩限制了热量的扩散及成矿有利物质的流失,熔体缓慢固结,形成含矿伟晶岩。     

Mineralization of pegmatites in parts of the Oban Massif, Southeastern Nigeria： A preliminary analysis

The Oban Basement Massif of southeastern Nigeria is composed of metamorphosed rocks including phyllites, schists, gneisses and amphibolites cut by pegmatitic dykes of varying length and thickness, which intruded the metamorphic rocks. Preliminary geochemical study and analysis of these pegmatites from western Oban Massif at Uyanga, Akwa Ibami, Iwuru I, Iwuru Ⅱ and Igbofia showed that the pegmatites are highly albitized. This is incon-sistent with earlier postulations that the pegmatites in this part of Nige...     

Geochemistry of boron in the Ilímaussaq alkaline complex, South Greenland

The distribution of boron has been studied in rocks and minerals of the Ilímaussaq complex, South Greenland, using optical emission spectrometry. In the silica-undersaturated rocks of intrusive phases 1 and 3, average B contents increased from 5.6 ppm in augite syenite to a maximum of 8.9 ppm in sodalite-rich agpaitic nepheline syenite (naujaite roof cumulate) and then decreased to 5.4 ppm in the final lujavrites. Boron only behaved as an incompatible element during certain stages of the fractionation history. Starting at the naujaite stage, sodalite crystals (60–45 ppm B) were fractionated by flotation and were also trapped among the heavy cumulus phases of the bottom cumulates. This prevented the significant build-up of B in late derivatives as seen in other nepheline syenites. Nevertheless, in late pegmatites and veins associated with the agpaitic rocks, B was locally concentrated in certain Be minerals and metamict/reworked minerals. In the silica-oversaturated rocks of intrusive phase 2, average B contents increased from 8.6 ppm in quartz syenite to 13 ppm in alkali granite.     

湖南仁里超大型稀有金属矿床的成矿特征与成矿模型

湖南仁里铌钽矿床位于燕山期幕阜山复式岩体西南缘,是我国近年来新发现的超大型花岗伟晶岩型铌钽矿床,伟晶岩脉产在花岗岩内部裂隙或灌入冷家溪群片岩中。矿区伟晶岩可分为微斜长石型、微斜长石钠长石型、钠长石型和钠长石锂辉石型四个类型分带,且脉体呈NE-SW向分布。相对于北东部的伟晶岩,南西部的伟晶岩具有较高的分异度,铌钽矿化程度高,仁里矿区为幕阜山地区铌钽矿化浓集中心,是幕阜山地区铌钽等稀有金属主要产地。较大规模伟晶岩脉具有较完善的分带,铌钽矿化主要产在伟晶岩内部的中-粗粒白云母钠长石带和锂云母石英带。各伟晶岩脉总体上具有地表品位低,深部品位升高的特点,在标高411 m时,品位达到最高值(Ta_2O_5品位0.438%),说明仁里矿区深部具有较大找矿潜力。本文在总结仁里矿床成矿特征和成矿规律的基础上,分析了周边及深部的找矿方向,建立了复式岩体"体中体"成矿模型。区域找矿需要重视浅部低品位伟晶岩脉的深部评价,按照"北找钽铌、南找锂"的原则开展外围找矿工作。     

The petrology of a melilitolite,melteigite, carbonatite and syenite ring dike system,in the Gardiner complex,East Greenland

The Tertiary Gardiner complex in East Greenland comprises ultramafic cumulates cut by dikes, ring dikes and cone sheets. One major ring dike is of melilite-rick rocks (melilitolites), and shows phase layering and cryptic layering with respect to melilite, perovskite and phologopite. The vertical variation in the assemblages through the ring dike is consistent with established fractionation trends in undersaturated melilite-bearing experimental systems. Related veins and dikes are: a) undersaturated rocks of the melteigite-ijolite-urtite/nepheline syenite suite, b) melanite-calcite veins and søvite dikes and sheets and c) coarse-grained magnetite-phlogopite-diopside-calcite pegmatites and dolomite rocks. It is proposed that a CO₂-bearing Ln-normative nephelinite liquid is parential to both melilitolites and related veins through a combination of fractional crystallization, liquid immiscibility and CO₂-metasomatism of dunite country rocks. Unlike other localities where melilitolites are attributed to metasomatic processes, the Gardiner melilitolites are magmatic.     

Tectonic-hydrothermal pegmatites

The Kiawa pegmatites, New Mexico, are thought to have formed by the process outlined in part I of this paper, i.e., by the reaction, Quartz + Muscovite + (Na⁺, K⁺) Perthite + H⁺.The pegmatites and country rocks were mapped and sampled in detail and geochemical data were obtained by spectrochemical analysis of separated minerals for 17 major and trace elements.Structural compatibility with the model is demonstrated by the occurrence of the pegmatites in structurally low pressure zones. Geochemical evidence indicates that quartz and muscovite, the raw materials for the reaction, were available before formation of the pegmatites. The distribution of major and trace elements in the minerals of the pegmatites and country rocks supports the model. Elements that were released by major reactions are found in secondary minerals in the country rocks and/or in pegmatite minerals. The distribution of barium in the minerals is that which would be predicted from its known geochemical behavior. Geologic evidence suggests that the pegmatites formed synkinematically during regional metamorphism.Other features of the Kiawa pegmatites, such as albitization, structural control of element distributions, and possibly an older generation of pegmatites, are shown to be in accord with the proposed model. Certain features of the pegmatites are not amenable to a magmatic explanation.     

Borborema Pegmatitic Province: geological and geochemical characteristics

The geological features of the pegmatites from the Borborerna Pegmatitic Province (BPP) are described, combining data from the literature with new field and laboratory observation. A geochemical study was performed against this geological background to test the crystallization model of mineralized pegmatites against barren pegmatites and to compare the BPP with other provinces, fields or individual pegmatites throughout the world. The field evidence (mode of emplacement, textural relationships, zonation and mineralogy) as well as the geochemical characteristics support the pegmatite crystallization model proposed by London (1990). The geochemical and mineralogical evidence places these pegmatites as “medium Ta-mineralized” compared to other pegmatite provinces.     

Typochemistry of rinkite and products of its alteration in the Khibiny Alkaline pluton,Kola Peninsula

The occurrence, morphology, and composition of rinkite are considered against the background of zoning in the Khibiny pluton. Accessory rinkite is mostly characteristic of foyaite in the outer part of pluton, occurs somewhat less frequently in foyaite and rischorrite in the central part of pluton, even more sparsely in foidolites and apatite–nepheline rocks, and sporadically in fenitized xenoliths of the Lovozero Formation. The largest, up to economic, accumulations of rinkite are related to the pegmatite and hydrothermal veins, which occur in nepheline syenite on both sides of the Main foidolite ring. The composition of rinkite varies throughout the pluton. The Ca, Na, and F contents in accessory rinkite and amorphous products of its alteration progressively increase from foyaite and fenitized basalt of the Lovozero Formation to foidolite, rischorrite, apatite–nepheline rocks, and pegmatite–hydrothermal veins.     

Petrology,geochemistry and source characteristics of the Burpala alkaline massif,North Baikal

The Burpala alkaline massif contains rocks with more than 50 minerals rich in Zr,Nb,Ti,Th,Be and rare earth elements(REE).The rocks vary in composition from shonkinite,melanocratic syenite,nepheline and alkali syenites to alaskite and alkali granite and contain up to 10%LILE and HSFE,3.6%of REE and varying amounts of other trace elements(4%Zr,0.5%Y,0.5%Nb,0.5%Th and 0.1%U).Geological and geochemical data suggest that all the rocks in the Burpala massif were derived from alkaline magma enriched in rare earth elements.The extreme products of magma fractionation are REE rich pegmatites,apatite-fiuorite bearing rocks and carbonatites.The Sr and Nd isotope data suggest that the source of primary melt is enriched mantle(EM-Ⅱ).We correlate the massif to mantle plume impact on the active margin of the Siberian continent.     

Genesis of apatite-fluorite rock in the Burpala pluton

Burpala is a unique peralkaline pluton known to the world. Alkaline pegmatites of the pluton contain about 70 rare-metal minerals. A new scheme of rock crystallization is offered: shonkinite → nepheline syenite → alkali syenite → quartz syenite → vein rocks: mariupolite, rare-metal pegmatite, apatite-fluorite, and alkali granite. Investigation of fluid inclusions in fluorite from the apatite-fluorite rocks established the high temperatures (520–560°C) of homogenization of multiphase salt inclusions. Fluids from inclusions are dominated by hydrocarbonates and chlorides as anions and sodium and calcium as cations; microelements include strontium, barium, boron, iron, manganese, lithium, rubidium, and cesium, i.e., components characteristic of magmatogenic fluids. These rocks are analogous to foskorites of carbonatite complexes in the high calcium content, but calcite is replaced with fluorite along with other foskorite minerals such as apatite, magnetite, mica, and pyroxene.