Mineralogy and Petrology of Carbonatites and Fenites from Khlibodarivka Occurrence

Abstract

The data of mineralogical studies of carbonatite veins and exocontact fenites in the open pit near the Khlibodarivka occurrence (Donetsk region, Volnovaha district) are presented. The thickness of carbonatite veins is neglegible, rarely exceeding 30 cm, and are mainly composed of calcite, alkaline amphibole and albite are the most common silicate minerals. Accessory minerals are more often represented by monazite, apatite, columbite, minerals of pyrochlore group, zircon, and opaque (ilmenite, rutile, magnetite, sulfides). In addition to the above-mentioned minerals, except for the minerals of pyrochlore group, chlorannite, aegyrine, REE-carbonates, baryte, allanite-(Ce), REE-apatite were found in the fenite haloes and veinlets. The reactionary interaction of the carbonatite melt enriched in alkalis and volatiles with the hosted enderbites caused the appearance of fenite halos both around the veins of carbonatites and the thin "net" of veinlets without a visible connection with carbonatites. The significant thickness of the fenite halos (usually twice as much in comparison to the thickness of the carbonatite veins), albitization of the surrounding rocks and saturation of the alkaline femic minerals of the carbonatite veins and fenites indicate that the initial carbonatite melt contained a significant amount of Na and volatile components (H2O, F, CO2, possibly Cl), and also had a more ferruginous composition of carbonates due to the presence of siderite or ankerite components (in the melt). As a result of the dissociation of primary carbonates, iron, as well as alkalis, was concentrated in the fluid phase and subsequently included in aegirine and alkaline amphiboles. The fenitization of host rocks took place in several stages. At the initial stage, the alkali-enriched fluids, mainly Na, F, and possibly Cl, were separated, while the later ones fluids were Fe-enriched and existing in more oxidized conditions. The fluids genetically related to carbonatites were penetrating into the host rocks caused the redistribution of trace elements. Barium, Th, and partly LREE were carried out from carbonatites most intensively, while Sr, Nb and a significant part of REE remained immobile due to the early crystallization of their host minerals and lack of subsequent autometasomatic alteration. Geochemistry of carbonatite veins (high content of incompatible elements such as Sr (11 7777 ppm), increased REE (1624 ppm), elevated Nb, chondrite-normalized pattern of REE, high (La/Yb)cn = 24.7 and absence of negative Eu anomaly (Eu* = 1.03) and endogenous ratios of isotopes of Sr (0.703), C and, partially, O) testify to their magmatic origin. It is possible that the insignificant thickness of the carbonatite veins and the intensive interaction of juvenile fluids with the host granitoids and meteoric fluids caused the enrichment of carbonatites with 18O (δ18O 8.4÷20), but with the preservation of primary δ13C (–8 ÷ –6.5). Currently, the increased concentrations of rare metals were not found in carbonatites of the Khlibodarivka village. However, the presence of carbonatite veins in association with fenite halo, spatial connection to the Oktyabrsky massif of alkaline rocks, as well as numerous fenite occurrences in this area, increase the prospects of this area for such mineralization.