F Kangarani Farahani; A.A Calagari; A Abedini
Abstract
Kambelu lateritic deposit is located in ~80 km west of Damghan, Semnan province. This deposit was developed as stratiform lenses along the contact of carbonates of Elika Formation (Triassic) and shale-sandstone of Shemshak Formation (Jurassic). Petrographical studies testify to the presence of collomorphic, ...
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Kambelu lateritic deposit is located in ~80 km west of Damghan, Semnan province. This deposit was developed as stratiform lenses along the contact of carbonates of Elika Formation (Triassic) and shale-sandstone of Shemshak Formation (Jurassic). Petrographical studies testify to the presence of collomorphic, colloformic, pseudo-porphyritic, and nodular textures within the ores of this deposit. Mineralogical data show that the ores contain diaspore, goethite, anatase, kaolinite, hematite, boehmite, and zircon. Considering the mineralogical composition and textural characteristics, this deposit was formed in an almost reduced near-surface environment. Geochemical indices like Eu/Eu* along with ratios such as Ti/Zr, Nb/Y, and Al/Ti suggest that Kambelu deposit is a product of alteration and weathering of rocks of trachy-andesitic to basaltic composition. Comparison of the variation trend of elements like Si, Al, and Fe within a selective profile reveals that the variation in chemistry (i.e., pH) of solutions responsible for lateritization and drainage intensity are the two principal factors for formation of the ores. Geochemical considerations show that distribution of trace elements in this deposit is a function of factors such as adsorption, scavenging by metallic oxides and hydroxides, fixation in neomorphic phases, and presence in resistant mineral phases. Inharmonic distribution of REEs in the studied profile indicates an allogenic origin for this deposit. The obtained data indicate that clays, anatase, zircon, xenotime, gorceixite, and churchite are the potential hosts for REEs in this deposit.
F Kangarani Farahani; A.A Calagari; A Abedini
Abstract
The Shahbolaghi laterite deposit is located in ~40 km southeast of Damavand, Tehran province. This deposit was developed as stratiform horizons within the shales and sandstones of Shemshak formation (Jurassic). Mineralogical investigations show that the major minerals in this deposit include hematite, ...
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The Shahbolaghi laterite deposit is located in ~40 km southeast of Damavand, Tehran province. This deposit was developed as stratiform horizons within the shales and sandstones of Shemshak formation (Jurassic). Mineralogical investigations show that the major minerals in this deposit include hematite, boehmite, and anatase accompanied by lesser amounts of goethite, magnetite, chamosite, kaolinite, quartz, calcite, diaspore, zircon, pyrite, and rutile. The microscopic evidences such as development of spastoidic textures within the ores suggest a high energy water-saturated sedimentary environment during the lateritization processes. By considering the mineral assemblage and textural characteristics, deposition and diagenesis of this horizon occurred in an oxidizing and almost near surface environment. Based on the obtained data from the field observations, geochemistry of major, trace, and rare earth elements the lateritic horizon at Shahbolaghiwas developed probably byalteration of parent rocks with basaltic composition. The bauxitization process was occurredintrends of kaolinization, destruction of kaolinite, and deferrugenization. The geochemical investigations indicated that the distribution of trace elements in this horizon was controlled by clays and minor mineral phases.
S Alipour; A Abedini; Sh Abdali
Abstract
The Heydar-Abad laterite horizon is located at 65 km south of Urmia, West Azarbaidjan province. This horizon was developed as stratiform bed within the carbonate rocks of the late Permian Ruteh Formation. Based on the petrographical and mineralographical studies,the ores of this horizon contain micro-granular, ...
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The Heydar-Abad laterite horizon is located at 65 km south of Urmia, West Azarbaidjan province. This horizon was developed as stratiform bed within the carbonate rocks of the late Permian Ruteh Formation. Based on the petrographical and mineralographical studies,the ores of this horizon contain micro-granular, fluidal-collomorphic, panidiomorphic-granular, spastoidic, pelitomorphic, nodular, and ooidic textures and have an authigenic origin. According to the mineralogical investigations, the ores of this horizon include minerals such as diaspore, corundum, hematite, magnetite, goethite, rutile, paragonite, margarite, amesite, berthierine, montmorillonite, chlorite, chloritoid, muscovite-illite, quartz, pyrite, anhydrite, calcite, and dolomite. The presence of high quantities of silicate minerals indicates immaturity and poor draining system during the development of this residual horizon. The results of chemical analyses show that Eu and Ce anomalies in the ores are within the ranges of 0.67 to 2.74 and 0.86 to 2.16, respectively. The calculations of values of enrichment factor of elements in two selected profiles reveal that two processes of leaching and fixation are major regulators of concentrations of REEs in ores of this horizon. The results obtained from the mineralogical and geochemical studies show that changes of pH of weathering solution, fluctuations of level of ground-waters, alteration intensity, and function of carbonate bedrocks as a geochemical barrier, adsorption, and scavenging have played an important role in distribution of the rare earth elements (REEs) in this deposit. The correlation coefficients show that the secondary phosphates, rutile and muscovite-illite are potential hosts for REEs in the ore.
H. Khalilzadeh; A. A. Calagari; A. Abedini; H. Rahimpour-Bonab
Abstract
Boket residual horizon is located in ~15 km northeast of Ajabshir, East-Azarbaijan province. This horizon was developed as stratiform lenses along the contact of Ruteh (middle-upper Permian) and Elika (Triassic) carbonate formations. The ores within this horizon display pelitomorphic, micro-granular, ...
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Boket residual horizon is located in ~15 km northeast of Ajabshir, East-Azarbaijan province. This horizon was developed as stratiform lenses along the contact of Ruteh (middle-upper Permian) and Elika (Triassic) carbonate formations. The ores within this horizon display pelitomorphic, micro-granular, micro-ooidic, pseudo-porphyritic, ooidic, pisoidic, pseudo-breccia, and nodular textures. Based on geochemical data, the ores within this horizon are divided into five types, (1) ferritic laterite, (2) bauxitic laterite, (3) kaolinitic laterite, (4) ferritic kaolinite, and (5) laterite. Comparison of distribution patterns of elements across a selected profile indicates the effective role of Al and Ti in distributing and concentrating of Zr, Ga, Nb, Th, V, and HREEs within the ores. Incorporation of data obtained from petrographical and geochemical studies shows that the ores have authigenic origin. Furthermore, factors such as chemical variations of weathering solutions, fixation in neomorphic phases, existing in resistant minerals, heterogeneity of protolith, differences in the degree of weathering intensity, and adsorption processes coupled with weak drainage, diagenesis, dynamic pressures, and fluctuation of underground water table played crucial roles in distribution and development of ores within this horizon. The most notable geochemical characteristics of the ores (except in kaolinitic laterite) is the greater mobility of LREEs relative to HREEs during weathering processes. This abnormal behavior within the horizon could be related to factors such as differences in stability of primary minerals containing REEs, the pH variation (from 6.7 to 7.8) of weathering solutions, and moderate degree of evolution of the profile.
