Trend Surface Modelling of Karlapat Bauxite Deposit, Eastern Ghat Group, Orissa, India

Abstract: The Karlapat bauxite deposit occurs in the Eastern Ghat Group of rocks in Orissa and has developed in the khondalites. Mineralogical and physical observations on bore hole samples reflect the presence of a maximum of six weathered zones from top to bottom. These zones are termed as topsoil, siliceous laterite, ferruginous laterite, bauxite, lithomarge and altered khondalite. Four-dimensional trend surface models are developed for the data of 45 and 36 bore holes from north and south blocks, respectively, on Al₂O₃ and SiO₂ to delineate the zones of metallurgical grade bauxite (SiO₂5 % and Al₂O₃40 %). The results indicate about 15 m thickness of bauxite in the north block while it could be up to 20 m thick in the south block, leaving about 10 m of lat-erites at the top of each block. High grade bauxite (>47 % Al₂O₃) is also encountered at specific locations.     

Genesis of certain bauxite profiles from India

An attempt is made to reveal a geochemical compatibility with paleoenvironment to understand the genesis of bauxite deposits that are derived from two different parent rocks. For this purpose two in situ bauxite profiles, one developed over basalt and another over sandstone, have been taken. Gibbsite is the major mineral in all these bauxites with minor occurrences of goethite, hematite, anatase, kaolinite, etc. From the study it is evident that the paleoenvironment and geochemical processes are vital factors that could lead to the formation of bauxites. The significance of this is fully discussed.     

Genesis of the Guangou karstic bauxite deposit in western Henan,China

The Guangou bauxite deposit in western Henan, China, is located in the North China Block and to the north of the North Qinling orogenic belt. The orebody is hosted within the lower member of the Carboniferous Benxi Formation, which overlies unconformably upon the Ordovician Majiagou Formation. In the lower member of the Benxi Formation, the bauxite orebody (with a diaspore–illite–anatase mineral assemblage) is sandwiched between underlying ferric clay (illite–hematite–goethite) and overlying top clay (kaolinite–quartz–goethite). According to field observations and geochemical evidence including trace- and rare-earth-element (REE) compositions, especially Zr/Hf ratios, the ferric clays were weathered from the underlying argillaceous limestones in the Majiagou Formation. During this weathering process, trace elements S, Zn, Ni, Cr, V, Sc, F, Ba, and Be are depleted; Li, Rb, and B are enriched; and Zr, Hf, Bi, Ta, Ga, Nb, and Th are relatively immobile. REEs exhibit evident differentiation with enrichment of La, Ce, Pr, and Nd and depletion of Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu. The bauxite formed in weak reducing, slightly basic water conditions according to the geneses of coexisting diaspore and anatase, and it was altered during the epigenetic and second exposure periods, forming kaolinite and goethite, respectively. Interelemental relationship analyses of the ores suggest that the elemental behaviors of trace elements and REEs in the bauxitization process are mainly controlled by the mineral compositions in bauxite ore and chemical properties of the elements. For instance, zircon, rutile, and anatase contain Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, W, and U. Based on geochemical evidence, together with age data and chemical compositions of the detrital minerals, both distant igneous rocks in the plate margin and Paleozoic carbonates and Precambrian rocks inside North China Block provide the miscellaneous material for the bauxite ore and the top clay.     

广西靖西县新圩铝土矿Ⅶ号矿体矿石热分析

广西靖西新圩堆积型铝土矿为我国典型的一水铝型铝土矿。以新圩堆积型铝土矿的典型样品为研究对象,通过X衍射分析确定其矿物组成,进一步借助差热(DTA)与热重(TG/DTG)分析,探索铝土矿石加热过程。X衍射分析显示5个铝土矿样品矿物组成主要为硬水铝石、赤铁矿、绿泥石、三水铝石、锐钛矿、金红石、针铁矿以及少量的高岭石。差热(DTA)分析显示铝土矿样品有2个明显的吸热峰,分别为三水铝石和硬水铝石吸热峰;热重(TG/DTG)曲线显示样品分解分为4个阶段,分别为吸附水失去阶段和三水铝石、针铁矿、硬水铝石脱羟基作用阶段。利用热重(TG/DTG)数据分别计算了硬水铝石、三水铝石、针铁矿矿物相对百分含量,与国内外同类型铝土矿矿石热分析特征对比显示具有大体一致的热分析特征。     

桂西平果教美矿区堆积型铝土矿形成过程中矿物转化与元素迁移

桂西地区铝土矿为典型喀斯特型,包括二叠系沉积型和第四系堆积型两亚类。堆积型铝土矿是沉积型铝土矿经抬升、破碎、风化,最后堆积于喀斯特洼地中形成。以平果教美铝土矿为研究对象,探索堆积型铝土矿形成过程中矿物的变化与元素迁移。沉积型矿石的矿物组成包括硬水铝石、鲕绿泥石、锐钛矿及少量针铁矿、金红石和高岭石;堆积型矿石的矿物组成主要为硬水铝石、锐钛矿、高岭石及少量三水铝石和鲕绿泥石。转化过程中堆积型矿石中的硬水铝石含量明显增加,鲕绿泥石含量明显减少。沉积型铝土矿的主要化学组成为Al₂O₃、SiO₂、FeO和TiO₂;堆积型为Al₂O₃、SiO₂、TiO₂和Fe₂O₃。两类矿石中元素Zr 、Ba、Nb、V含量均较高,稀土总量变化大,富集轻稀土。质量平衡计算表明堆积型铝土矿形成过程中Al、Ba、Sr、Y等元素增加,而Si、Fe、Ti、Nb、V、Ce等元素减少,其余元素变化不明显。     

河南铝土矿矿物成因及其演化序列

[摘 要]豫西铝土矿是我国喀斯特型铝土矿的典型代表。本文选取豫西典型的喀斯特型铝土矿为研究对象,通过XRD 分析、扫描电镜-能谱分析、电子探针分析和差热分析多种手段,探测铝土矿的物质组成及其赋存状态,并且分析其矿物成因,总结矿物演化序列。研究显示,豫西铝土矿的主要矿物成分包括硬水铝石、伊利石、锐钛矿、高岭石、针铁矿、赤铁矿、金红石等。硬水铝石主体为简单结晶成因。伊利石主体为风化过程中产物,部分为后期硬水铝石硅质交代的结果。锐钛矿和硬水铝石同期结晶形成于还原环境下。大部分高岭石形成于陆源期风化阶段,少部分为后期硬水铝石硅化转变形成。针铁矿和赤铁矿形成于两个阶段,第一阶段为成矿前风化作用形成的铁质风化壳;第二阶段为铝土矿成岩晚期出现了一期铁质流体活动形成了大量的赤铁矿和针铁矿。重砂矿物金红石和锆石等主要是母岩风化作用的残留物。豫西铝土矿中矿物形成演化可归纳为如下五个阶段:陆源期、同生期、成矿期、成矿后期和表生期。     

华北克拉通南缘石炭系本溪组铁-铝黏土矿物质来源: 以河南三门峡大安铝黏土矿床为例*

华北克拉通在中奥陶世至晚石炭世期间一直出露地表,经历了长期的风化作用,形成大规模的铁-铝黏土矿,其成矿物源一直是研究的热点,尤其是本溪组底部铁矿和铁质黏土矿与上部铝黏土矿是否为同一来源尚未查清。本研究选取克拉通南缘大安铝黏土矿床作为研究对象,展开微区矿物及元素地球化学组成分析,进一步探讨铁-铝黏土矿物质来源。大安矿床内含矿岩系自下而上包括铁质黏土岩、铝土矿、铝质黏土矿;局部喀斯特高地缺失铝土矿,铝质黏土矿直接覆盖于铁质黏土岩之上。铁质黏土岩在洼地以菱铁矿、黄铁矿和伊利石为主,在隆起区以赤铁矿、伊利石和高岭石为主。铝土矿以硬水铝石、伊利石和锐钛矿为主;铝质黏土矿主要矿物为伊利石。矿物微区分析在黏土矿底部发现大量的碳化硅和少量自然硅、硅铁矿、铬铁矿;区域对比揭示北秦岭造山带内商丹缝合带和二郎坪群中的蛇绿岩为铝黏土矿形成提供了成矿物质。本溪组底部铁质黏土与上部铝黏土矿稳定元素比率(例如Zr/TiO₂、Hf/TiO₂、Nb/TiO₂、Ta/TiO₂)存在明显差异,揭示二者为不同来源: 底部铁质黏土岩和铁矿层为底板碳酸盐岩原地风化的产物;而上部铝黏土矿是异地搬运物,北秦岭造山带在晚石炭世的整体抬升为华北铝黏土矿形成提供了重要的成矿物质。     

Provenance of iron,bauxite and clay deposits of the Carboniferous Benxi Formation in southern margin of North China Craton: An example from Da'an bauxite and clay deposit of Sanmenxia area,Henan Province

During the Middle Ordovician to Late Carboniferous period,the North China Craton(NCC)was exposed and experienced prolonged weathering that resulted in the formation of large-scale iron,clay and bauxite deposits. The source of ore-forming material has always been a research focus,in particular,whether the sources of the iron ore and the Fe-bearing clay at the bottom of Benxi Formation are the same as the upper bauxite and clay deposit is still unclear. In this study,the Da'an bauxite and clay deposit at the southern margin of the NCC was chosen to carry out a detailed analysis of the micro-region mineral composition and elemental geochemical characteristics for further exploring the sources of iron,bauxite and clay deposits. The composition of the ore-bearing rocks in the Da'an bauxite deposit from the bottom to top includes Fe-bearing clay(locally iron ore),bauxite,and bauxitic clay;locally,in karstic uplift,bauxitic clay layer is directly overlying on the Fe-bearing clay. The Fe-bearing clay is dominated by siderite,pyrite,and illite in the karstic depression,and hematite,illite,and kaolinite in the uplift. Bauxite is mainly composed of diaspore,illite,and anatase,while bauxitic clay is mainly composed of illite. Mineral microanalysis revealed the development of large amounts of moissanite and small amounts of natural silica,silicalite,and chromite at the bottom of bauxitic clay layer. Regional comparison and correlation reveal that the ophiolite in the Shangdan suture zone and Erlangping Group in the North Qinling orogenic belt(NQOB)likely provides source materials for bauxite and clay deposits. The obvious differences in immobile element ratios (e.g., Zr/TiO₂,Hf/TiO₂,Nb/TiO₂,Ta/TiO₂)between the bottom Fe-bearing clay layer and the upper bauxite and clay layer in Da'an deposit,revealing that they are from different sources. The bottom Fe-bearing clay and iron ore layers are the products of in-situ weathering of underlying carbonates,while the top bauxite and clay are allochthonous. The regional uplift of the NQOB during the Late Carboniferous period provided important ore-forming materials for the formation of the NCC bauxite and clay deposits.     

桂西田阳堆积型铝土矿矿物学及地球化学

[摘 要]桂西田阳堆积型铝土矿产于第四纪红土层中。本文通过对桂西田阳第四系堆积型铝土矿进行一系列矿物学与地球化学研究,探索铝土矿的物质来源。矿物学分析显示铝土矿石中主要矿物为硬水铝石、赤铁矿和锐钛矿,含有少量高岭石、鲕绿泥石、三水铝石、针铁矿、金红石、伊利石、蒙脱石和石英等。地球化学分析显示,组成铝土矿石的主要化学组分有Al₂O₃、Fe₂O₃、SiO₂、TiO₂、FeO 和H₂O⁺;微量元素分析显示,铝土矿石相对地壳和原始地幔富集B、Li、Ga、Zr、Hf、Nb、Ta、W、Th、U 等元素,而亏损Ni、Cr 等元素。矿石中明显富集稀土元素,稀土总量变化大,轻重稀土分异明显,轻稀土元素富集明显;矿石具有明显的铈异常和铕异常,且铕异常相对稳定,为一致的负异常。元素相关性分析显示常量元素间相关性较差;部分微量元素如Zr、Hf、Nb 和Ta 间呈现出较高的正相关性。通过Zr/ Hf、Nb/ Ta 图解、Eu/ Eu* - TiO₂/ Al₂O₃图解和Zr-Cr-Ga 图解综合分析显示铝土矿物质来源复杂,底板碳酸盐岩和周围火成岩都为铝土矿提供物源。     

Mineralogical controls on element dispersion in regolith over two mineralised shear zones near the Peak, Cobar, New South Wales

Effective exploration for polymetallic ore deposits in the Cobar region is hampered by incomplete knowledge of the mineralogical controls on element dispersion in the different regolith-landform settings throughout the area. A detailed mineralogical and geochemical study of regolith profiles over two major mineralised shear zones in a strongly weathered but dominantly erosional setting has delineated the important host minerals for a range of base metal cations. Iron oxides/oxyhydroxides, particularly goethite and to a much lesser extent hematite, are major hosts for Pb, Cu, and Zn as substituted/adsorbed cations and as constituents of associated or intergrown minerals, probably including members of the jarosite–alunite group. Correlations between elements and major regolith minerals suggest that goethite is also a host phase for As, Bi and Sb. Minor manganese minerals, including lithiophorite and cryptomelane group minerals, also host base metals in appreciable amounts. No clear association was found between gold and any particular secondary mineral. It is likely that gold is present largely as elemental gold particles associated with a range of minerals.Sampling strategies for geochemical exploration in variably leached and stripped regolith in the Cobar area should take into account the relative abundance of goethite and manganese oxides/oxyhydroxides within the profiles and overlying lag. Goethite would appear to be the preferred sampling medium for base metals. Highly ferruginous lag has a high proportion of hematite with variable maghemite and very low manganese oxide contents. Most of the base metal content in this surface material is strongly bound to the crystalline oxides/oxyhydroxides. More work is required to understand the effects of surface transformation of goethite to hematite and maghemite on the mobility and distribution of base metal cations in soil and ferruginous lags.     

Transformation from Permian to Quaternary bauxite in southwestern South China Block driven by superimposed orogeny: A case study from Sanhe ore deposit

Permian karstic bauxite and its Quaternary derivative, in western Guangxi, southwestern, South China Block, possess a total tonnage greater than 0.5 billion tons. The primary late Permian karstic bauxite formed in reduced environment in the background of Tethyan accretionary orogenesis. And as one consequence of Cenozoic convergence of the Indian and Eurasia continents, the primary orebody was uplifted, eroded and re-sedimented within Quaternary laterite. The geochemical variation and its controls during the ore transformation from Permian to Quaternary remain poorly understood. Quaternary ore blocks comprise an inner zone of fresh ore, and then it gradually transited through a middle zone to a margin with extensive weathering. One such bauxite block was selected and further subdivided into twenty-three samples for geochemical and mineralogical analysis. The inner and middle zones contain similar mineralogical compositions, dominated by diaspore and amesite, with minor illite, anatase, goethite, pyrite, zircon, and rutile. The margin is composed of diaspore, with small amounts of amesite, boehmite, illite, goethite, anatase, kaolinite, zircon, rutile, and barite. Bauxite in all three zones is composed of mainly Al, Si, Fe, and Ti, and high contents of Zr, Cr, Li, F, S, Zn, V, Sr, Nb, Ba, and REE. Variations in Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ between the three zones were observed. The elements Si, Al, Fe²⁺, Mg, Ba, Cr, F, Li, Ni, Zn, and REE decrease from the core of the ore block outwards, corresponding to an increase in S and Fe³⁺. Depletions in Si, Al, Fe²⁺, Mg, Ba, and Cr were caused by the dissolution of amesite. Most of the Al and Si in amesite were lost during the weathering, and minor retained to form kaolinite. Depletions in Li, Ni, and Zn resulted from changes in the depositional environment between the late Permian and Quaternary. Dissolution of REE-bearing fluorocarbonates resulted in depletions of REE and F. The enrichment of Fe³⁺ and S was related to the precipitation of goethite, hematite, and barite in an oxidizing environment, while local enrichment of Ce resulted from the redox change of Ce³⁺ → Ce⁴⁺ under the same condition. This shows that the chemical composition of laterite enwrapping the bauxite also took part in Quaternary bauxite transformation. This study shows that the elements migrations during bauxite transformation were influenced by multiple independent factors except for the elemental attributes.     

Petrographic Characteristics and Alteration Geochemistry of Granite-hosted Tungsten Mineralization at Degana, NW India

Abstract. Vein type tungsten mineralization at Degana is genetically and spatially associated with the Degana Granite. The deposit is characterized by pervasive wall rock alteration around the mineralized quartz veins. Laterally three different alteration zones, greisen, silicification and potassic zones, are marked based on the field features, mineral assemblages and geo-chemical characteristics. In the present paper, systematic mineralogical and chemical variation in these alteration zones is reported. Thick mono-mineralic (zinnwaldite) selvages around the veins characterize the deposit. Plagioclase and alkali feldspar are low in the greisen zones while K-feldspar shows more increase than plagioclase in the potassic zone. Quartz is uniformly high in all the alteration zones, but it shows an anomalous value in the silicification zone. Al₂O₃ concentration shows initial depletion in greisen zone with gradual increase away from the contact. MgO and FeO are higher in greisen zone than silicification and potassic zones. The potassic zone is characterized by the depletion of Na₂O and higher value of K₂O.
The common presence of topaz and fluorite as both primary and secondary minerals and fluorine-bearing micas suggest fluorine partitioning in substantial amount between granitic melt and coexisting aqueous fluid phase and higher HF activity during the evolution of hydrothermal fluid. The mutual relationship of the fluorine minerals (topaz and fluorite) in the different alteration zones suggests an increase in the Ca²⁺ activity and decrease of H+ activity during the fluid evolution from greisenization towards alkali-metasomatised granite and the fluid is assumed to change from low to high activity ratio of Ca²⁺/H+.     

新疆阿尔泰萨吾斯铅锌矿综合信息找矿模式

萨吾斯铅锌矿床位于西伯利亚板块南缘阿尔泰晚古生代活动陆缘的泥盆纪—石炭纪弧后盆地中。矿床赋存于下泥盆统康布铁堡组酸性火山熔岩、火山碎屑岩夹陆源碎屑岩及碳酸盐岩中,是与海相火山作用有关的铅锌矿床。矿区位于1∶5万水系沉积物测量圈定的Pb-Ag-As-Zn-Bi-Cu-Mo-Au-Sb-Co-Ni综合异常内,其中Ag、As、Pb、Zn异常套合较好,与矿体基本对应,特别是Zn异常中心与矿体位置完全对应。矿区激电异常具有低阻、高幅频率、多峰值的特征,与地表矿化蚀变带对应。磁异常与激电异常相对应,异常宽度小于激电异常。TEM测深工作在矿区圈定了3个TEM低阻异常,均处于Ⅱ号矿化蚀变带内。在综合分析矿床成矿地质条件、地球化学异常、地球物理异常特征的基础上,建立了该矿床地质-地球物理-地球化学找矿模式,对类似矿床的发现和评价能够起到借鉴作用。     

重庆南川-武隆铝土矿矿物学、地球化学特征

重庆南川-武隆铝土矿属于渝南-黔北铝土矿成矿带,为喀斯特型铝土矿床。经显微镜、X射线粉晶衍射、矿物自动分析仪（MLA）、扫面电子显微镜等方法对该矿床矿物学的研究,发现组成铝土矿的主要矿物为一水硬铝石、高岭石、绿泥石,次要矿物为伊利石、一水软铝石、三水铝石、鲕绿泥石、菱铁矿、赤铁矿、针铁矿、黄铁矿、锐钛矿、金红石、磷灰石、石英、锆石、方解石、长石及稀土矿物等。矿石组构及矿物组合表明形成铝土矿的沉积/成岩环境为接近于潜流的环境。矿石结构和锆石形态指示成矿物质经过了短距离的搬运。地球化学研究结果显示,组成铝土矿的主要化学成分为Al2O3、TFeO、SiO2和TiO2,铝土矿化过程中REE、Zr、Hf、Nb、Ta、Th、Sc、Li和Ga发生富集。形成铝土矿的母岩物质主要来自下伏页岩的风化作用,灰岩和酸性火山岩对铝土矿的形成也有一定的贡献。结合稳定同位素资料,认为铝土矿的形成可能与生物作用有关。     

Geochemical Characteristics of Granitoids of the Erdenet Porphyry Copper Deposit, Mongolia

Abstract. The Erdenet porphyry copper deposit is one of the major mineral deposits in Mongolia. The geochemical data of granitoids acquired for the Erdenet and its surrounding areas are re-examined. The granitoids of the Erdenet deposit with hypogene type mineralization show the lowest TiO₂ content. Although Ti was possibly lost through the pyritization, it is also possible that the hypogene type mineralization occurred accompanied with the most differentiated granitoids. The variation of the element contents related to the mineralization of the Erdenet deposit shows the decrease of MgO and CaO contents, rather constant K₂O content, rather constant to decrease of Na₂O content, with respect to the Cu contents. The rather constant Na₂O in the mineralized zone is owing to the residual albite against the sericitic alteration. The granitoids of the Erdenet area show an increase of Na₂O content and a decrease of K₂O content with an increase of SiO₂ content. This trend makes clear contrast to granitoids in the surrounding areas. The granitoids of the Erdenet area might have the adakitic nature based on the Sr and Y contents.     

The Mount Saddleback bauxite deposit, southwestern Australia

Bauxite within the laterite horizon was first identified as being of economic significance in the Mt. Saddleback area of Western Australia in the 1960's. The Mt. Saddleback bauxite is derived from a mafic volcanic (greenstone) parent material and has high Fe and low silica contents compared with other bauxite in the region. It occurs as two distinct lithological units, a hard, massive, Fe-rich layer (hardcap) overlying a more friable, nodular earthy horizon (B zone). The bauxite averages 6 m in thickness and is underlain by a deep clay horizon. The major minerals of the bauxite are gibbsite, goethite and hematite with kaolin increasing with depth towards the base of the B zone. Minor components are quartz and anatase with traces of corundum, boehmite and maghemite in hardcap.     

Mineralogical and geochemical investigations of the Dajia Salento-type bauxite deposits,western Guangxi,China

The Dajia Salento-type bauxite deposit in western Guangxi is hosted within the Quaternary ferrallitic soil profile, and it formed via breaking up, weathering and oxidizing of Permian bauxite orebodies occurring as a semi-continuous layer in the upper Permian. Mineralogical analyses reveal that diaspore, hematite and kaolinite are the major minerals in bauxite ores with small amounts of anatase, chamosite, gibbsite, goethite, illite, zircon, quartz and pyrite. The ore texture and mineral assemblage reveal that the depositional/diagenetic environment of the Dajia bauxite was much close to phreatic environment. Both the ore texture and the morphology of zircon grains also indicate that most of the bauxitic soils were transported a short distance. Diaspore is suggested to be non-metamorphic in origin and mainly formed in a reducing condition of diagenetic environment, while kaolinite is the product of the in situ epigenetic replacement of alumina in diaspore by dissolved silica. Geochemical analyses indicate that Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, SiO₂ and TiO₂ are the main components of the bauxite ores and trace elements such as Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Th and U were enriched during the bauxitization process. Simultaneously, Zr vs. Hf and Nb vs. Ta show a high correlation. Geochemical indices such as Zr/Hf, Nb/Ta and Eu/Eu* (among others) denote that the magmatic rocks related to the Emeishan plume in western Guangxi and the carbonates in the underlying Maokou Formation provided the main sources of material for the bauxite ores.     

Sulfide Oxidation and Production of Gossans,Ashanti Mine,Ghana

At the Justice mine, in the Ashanti goldfields of southwestern Ghana, chemical weathering of gold- bearing sulfide-rich lodes has produced a series of characteristic mineralogical and geochemical features that are diagnostic. In this type of gold mineralization, the most abundant sulfides are arsenopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, and chalcopyrite with minor bornite and sphalerite. Gold occurs predominantly as native gold, spatially associated and chemically bound with arsenopyrite. Elsewhere gold-silver tellurides are present in quartz veins. During sulfide oxidation, arsenopyrite is replaced by amorphous and crystalline Fe-Mn arsenates, goethite, hematite, and arsenolite in box- and ladderwork textures. In the extremely weathered gossans exposed at surface or in exploration pits, goethite, hematite, and scorodite are present as pseudomorphs of oxidized arsenopyrite, which can be used as a visual pathfinder for gold-arsenic mineralization. As with arsenopyrite, pyrite and pyrrhotite alteration produces boxwork and ladderwork textures with the sulfide replaced by goethite, hematite, and a complex limonite. Copper sulfides and goethite replace bornite and chalcopyrite in ladder-type textures. With more intensive weathering, this assemblage is replaced by cuprite, goethite, and hematite. Gold mineralogy in the gossan is complex, with evidence of in situ precipitation of supergene gold as well as alteration of hypogene native gold. The concentration of pathfinder elements decreases in the gossan as a result of supergene leaching. Mass- balance calculations confirm that gossan production largely is in situ and, consequently, the hypogene geochemical dispersion patterns are preserved even though the proportion of many elements decreases as intensity of weathering increases.

The problem remains of discriminating between auriferous and non-auriferous gossans, or those produced by pedological concentration of iron. Although mineral textures such as box-and ladderwork replacement and mineral pseudomorphs are useful field criteria, the most reliable guide for evaluation still is trace-element geochemistry. By use of multi-element discriminant analysis, gossans of different origins can be distinguished (along with their surface expression) from ironstones and barren lateritic soils. In regional reconnaissance studies, the evaluation of trace-element geochemistry as a discriminant along with field mapping may indicate gold potential of even extremely altered products of mineralization and, in so doing, provide a basis for the classification of weathered samples.     

Mineralogical and geochemical investigations of the Mombi bauxite deposit,Zagros Mountains,Iran

The Mombi bauxite deposit is located in 165 km northwest of Dehdasht city, southwestern Iran. The deposit is situated in the Zagros Simply Fold Belt and developed as discontinuous stratified layers in Upper Cretaceous carbonates (Sarvak Formation). Outcrops of the bauxitic horizons occur in NW-SE trending Bangestan anticline and are situated between the marine neritic limestones of the Ilam and Sarvak Formations. From the bottom to top, the deposit is generally consisting of brown, gray, pink, pisolitic, red, and yellow bauxite horizons. Boehmite, diaspore, kaolinite, and hematite are the major mineral components, while gibbsite, goethite, anatase, rutile, pyrite, chlorite, quartz, as well as feldspar occur to a lesser extent. The Eh–pH conditions during bauxitization in the Mombi bauxite deposit show oxidizing to reducing conditions during the Upper Cretaceous. This feature seems to be general and had a significant effect on the mineral composition of Cretaceous bauxite deposits in the Zagros fold belt. Geochemical data show that Al₂O₃, SiO₂, Fe₂O₃ and TiO₂ are the main components in the bauxite ores at Mombi and immobile elements like Al, Ti, Nb, Zr, Hf, Cr, Ta, Y, and Th were enriched while Rb, Ba, K, Sr, and P were depleted during the bauxitization process. Chondrite-normalized REE pattern in the bauxite ores indicate REE enrichment (ΣREE = 162.8–755.28 ppm, ave. ∼399.36 ppm) relative to argillic limestone (ΣREE = 76.26–84.03 ppm, ave. ∼80.145 ppm) and Sarvak Formation (ΣREE = 40.15 ppm). The REE patterns also reflect enrichment in LREE relative to HREE. Both positive and negative Ce anomalies (0.48–2.0) are observed in the Mombi bauxite horizons. These anomalies are related to the change of oxidation state of Ce (from Ce³⁺ to Ce⁴⁺), ionic potential, and complexation of Ce⁴⁺ with carbonate compounds in the studied horizons. It seems that the variations in the chemistry of ore-forming solutions (e.g., Eh and pH), function of carbonate host rock as a geochemical barrier, and leaching degree of lanthanide-bearing minerals are the most important controlling factors in the distribution and concentration of REEs. Several lines of evidences such as Zr/Hf and Nb/Ta ratios as well as similarity in REE patterns indicate that the underlying marly limestone (Sarvak Formation) could be considered as the source of bauxite horizons. Based on mineralogical and geochemical data, it could be inferred that the Mombi deposit has been formed in a karstic environment during karstification and weathering of the Sarvak limy Formation.     

遵义仙人岩铝土矿床地质地球化学特征

仙人岩铝土矿床是遵义铝土矿中规模最大、以高铁铝土矿为主,产于碳酸盐岩古岩溶侵蚀面之上的沉积型一水硬铝石铝土矿床,其成矿时代属早石炭世大塘期.本文对仙人岩铝土矿床地质地球化学特征进行了初步分析,表明在大塘期前,由于加里东运动,息烽-遵义上升成陆,致使基底地层(∈-S)遭受长期的风化剥蚀,形成较为丰富的风化残积物和大小不等...