Search Results (5)

Ion-adsorption type rare earth element (IREE) deposits are critical strategic resources formed under strong lithological, geomorphological, and weathering controls. In Houaphanh Province, Laos, widespread granitic intrusions and tropical monsoon weathering provide favorable conditions for IREE mineralization; however, exploration is limited by rugged terrain, dense vegetation cover, and sparse geological data. This study integrates Landsat 9, ASTER multispectral, and digital elevation data to enhance IREE exploration. Band ratio and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to extract lithological and alteration features, while six topographic parameters describing elevation, slope, relief amplitude, incision depth, surface roughness, and elevation variability were derived from ASTER GDEM data. These datasets were combined using a weighted overlay to delineate favorable geomorphic zones. Six prospectives zones were identified, and field verification at Nongkhang confirmed 19 IREE ore bodies. The results demonstrate that integrating spectral and topographic indicators significantly improves the accuracy for IREE prediction in tropical, densely vegetated regions, offering a transferable framework for similar geological settings worldwide. Full article

The TuguanZhai rare earth deposit in Tengchong, along with the Longan and Yingpanshan deposits in Longchuan, is a significant ion-adsorption type rare earth (iREE) deposit in Yunnan, China. Previous studies mainly focused on the geochemistry of residual regolith or the migration and enrichment mechanism of rare earth elements (REEs), but lacked systematic analysis of the protoliths. To constrain this deposit and its protolith rock, called Tuguanzhai granite, we systematically integrate petrology features, petrogeochemistry, zircon U-Pb date, and artificial heavy mineral separation (AHMS). Specifically, iREE-host granites include two main periods in this area: the Early Cretaceous (112.13 ± 0.75 Ma) and the Paleocene–Eocene (52.78 ± 0.28 Ma, 48.56 ± 0.19 Ma). The former includes three types of biotite monzogranite with different grain sizes, and the latter is mainly medium-grained biotite monzogranite with local mylonitization. Geochemical features show that these granites generally share high alkalinity compositions (w(K₂O + Na₂O): 7.15 to 12.75 wt%) and potassium contents (w(K₂O): 3.89 to 8.36 wt%). The mineralized granites exhibit significantly higher concentrations of the total REEs than non-mineralized granites, along with a strong enrichment of light REEs. Moreover, the results of AHMS reveal that the REE contents of apatite, allanite, and titanite in mineralized granites are 4.98, 1.29, and 1.90 times more abundant than in non-mineralized granites, respectively. Due to REEs being released from these REE-rich minerals in humid environments, there exists significant potential for iREE formation and exploration in the Early Cretaceous granites in western Yunnan. We innovatively propose the “abundance of easily leachable minerals” as a key indicator for iREE mineralization and exploration, having found it to be better than the traditional total REE contents. Full article

Ion-adsorption-type rare-earth element (iREE) deposits, a primary source of global heavy REE (HREE) ores, have attracted wide attention worldwide due to their concentrated distributions and irreplaceable role in the field of cutting-edge technologies. In recent years, iREE mineralization has been reported in the overlying weathering crust of the Mosuoying granites within the Dechang counties, Sichuan Province, Southwest China, suggesting great potential for the formation of iREE deposits. The Mosuoying granites, acting as the primary carrier of REE pre-enrichment, govern the contents and distribution patterns of REEs in their weathering crust. Therefore, investigating the sources and enrichment mechanisms of REEs in the parent rocks will provide a critical theoretical basis for the scientific exploitation and utilization of iREE deposits. In this study, we investigated the migration and enrichment of REEs in the Mosuoying granites (850–832 Ma) using petrography, geochronology, geochemical, and Sr-Nd-Hf isotopic data. The results reveal that the REE enrichment in the Mosuoying granites might be associated with both the melting of crustal felsic rocks and the magmatic-hydrothermal evolution. On the one hand, the granites exhibit different REE patterns. Compared to the light REE (LREE)-rich granites, the HREE-rich granites feature higher SiO₂ contents, higher differentiation index (DI), lower Nb/Ta and Zr/Hf ratios, and more significant negative Eu anomalies, indicating that the crystal fractionation of magmas governed the differentiation of REEs. Furthermore, the hydrothermal fluids further promoted the formation of the HREE-rich granites. On the other hand, the geochemical characteristics suggest that they are A-type granites. Regarding the isotopic characteristics, the Mosuoying granites exhibit negative whole-rock εNd(t) and zircon εHf(t) values, suggesting an evolved crustal source. Therefore, we suggest that the high REE contents in the Mosuoying A-type granites might originate from the partial melting of felsic rocks in a shallow crustal source under high-temperature and low-pressure conditions. Specifically, the high-temperature A-type granitic magmas caused the partial melting of the felsic crustal materials to release REEs; concurrently, these magmas enhanced the solubility of REEs in melt during magmatic evolution, inhibiting the separation of REE-bearing minerals from the melts. These increased the REE contents of the granites. The high-temperature heat source might be associated with the process where the asthenospheric mantle experienced upwelling along slab windows and heated continental crust in the Neoproterozoic extensional setting. Full article

The ion-adsorption-type rare earth element (iREE) deposits dominantly supply global resources of the heavy rare earth elements (HREEs), which have a critical role in a variety of advanced technological applications. The initial enrichment of REEs in the parent granites controls the formation of iREE deposits. Many Mesozoic and Cenozoic granites are associated with iREE mineralization in the Tengchong block, Southwest China. However, it is unclear how vital the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of these granites are to the formation of iREE mineralization. We conducted geochronology, geochemistry, and Hf isotope analyses of the Yingpanshan–Damanbie granitoids associated with the iREE deposit in the Tengchong block with the aims to discuss their petrogenesis and illustrate the process of the initial REE enrichment in the granites. The results showed that the Yingpanshan–Damanbie pluton consists of syenogranite and monzogranite, containing REE-bearing accessory minerals such as monazite, xenotime, apatite, zircon, allanite, and titanite, with a high REE concentration (210–626 ppm, mean value is 402 ppm). The parent granites have Zr + Nb + Ce + Y (333–747 ppm) contents and a high FeO^T/MgO ratio (5.89–11.4), and are enriched in Th (mean value of 43.6 ppm), U (mean value of 4.57 ppm), Zr (mean value of 305 ppm), Hf (mean value of 7.94 ppm), Rb (mean value of 198 ppm), K (mean value of 48,902 ppm), and have depletions of Sr (mean value of 188 ppm), Ba (mean value of 699 ppm), P (mean value of 586 ppm), Ti (mean value of 2757 ppm). The granites plot in the A-type area in FeO^T/MgO vs. Zr + Nb + Ce + Y and Zr vs. 10,000 Ga/Al diagrams, suggesting that they are A₂-type granites. These granites are believed to have formed through the partial melting of amphibolites at a post-collisional extension setting when the Tethys Ocean closed. REE-bearing minerals (e.g., apatite, titanite, allanite, and fluorite) and rock-forming minerals (e.g., potassium feldspar, plagioclase, biotite, muscovite) supply rare earth elements in weathering regolith for the Yingpanshan–Damanbie iREE deposit. Full article

Granites are assumed to be the main source of heavy rare-earth elements (HREEs), which have important applications in modern society. However, the geochemical and petrographic characteristics of such granites need to be further constrained, especially as most granitic HREE deposits have undergone heavy weathering. The LC batholith comprises both fresh granite and ion-adsorption-type HREE deposits, and contains four main iRee (ion-adsorption-type REE) deposits: the Quannei (QN), Shangyun (SY), Mengwang (MW), and Menghai (MH) deposits, which provide an opportunity to elucidate these characteristics The four deposits exhibit light REE (LREE) enrichment, and the QN deposit is also enriched in HREEs. The QN and MH deposits were chosen for study of their petrology, mineralogy, geochemistry, and geochronology to improve our understanding of the formation of iRee deposits. The host rock of the QN and MH deposits is granite that includes REE accessory minerals, with monazite, xenotime, and allanite occurring as euhedral inclusions in feldspar and biotite, and thorite, fluorite(–Y), and REE fluorcarbonate occurring as anhedral filling in cavities in quartz and feldspar. Zircon U–Pb dating analysis of the QN (217.8 ± 1.7 Ma, MSWD = 1.06; and 220.3 ± 1.2 Ma, MSWD = 0.71) and MH (232.2 ± 1.7 Ma, MSWD = 0.58) granites indicates they formed in Late Triassic, with this being the upper limit of the REE-mineral formation age. The host rock of the QN and MH iRee deposits is similar to most LC granites, with high A/CNK ratios (>1.1) and strongly peraluminous characteristics similar to S-type granites. The LC granites (including the QN and MH granites) have strongly fractionated REE patterns (LREE/HREE = 1.89–11.97), negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.06–0.25), and are depleted in Nb, Zr, Hf, P, Ba, and Sr. They have high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.710194–0.751763) and low ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios (0.511709–0.511975), with initial Sr and Nd isotopic compositions of (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_i = 0.72057–0.72129 and εNd(220 Ma) = −9.57 to −9.75. Their initial Pb isotopic ratios are: ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.988–19.711; ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 39.713–40.216; and ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.799–15.863. The Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic data and T_DM2 ages suggest that the LC granitic magma had a predominantly crustal source. The REE minerals are important features of these deposits, with feldspars and micas altering to clay minerals containing Ree³⁺ (exchangeable REE), whose concentration is influenced by the intensity of weathering; the stronger the chemical weathering, the more REE minerals are dissolved. Secondary mineralization is also a decisive factor for Ree³⁺ enrichment. Stable geology within a narrow altitudinal range of 300–600 m enhances Ree³⁺ retention. Full article