Rare earth element-bearing fluorite deposits of Turkey: An overview

Abstract

Rare Earth Element (REE)-bearing fluorite deposits in Turkey occur in association with Cenozoic post-collisional alkaline-carbonatite systems and can be divided into three groups: (1) carbonatite-associated; (2) those associated with subalkaline to alkaline magmatic rocks of Cretaceous to Cenozoic age; and (3) those in sedimentary successions, typically in areas dominated by limestone. Some of these deposits show significant enrichment in the REE, especially the Kızılcaören deposit which has average REE grades of almost 30,000 ppm; others have very low REE contents but have potential fluorite resources. The homogenization temperature and salinity values of fluid inclusions in these deposits vary between 600°C to 150 °C, and 10-65 wt.% NaCl eq., respectively. The carbonatite-associated deposits have the highest bulk REE contents and are LREEenriched. As a general feature, the REE contents of the fluorite deposits decrease with decreasing homogenization temperatures and salinity of the fluorite fluid inclusions. Fluorite ore chemistry indicates that a plot of Nb+Ta versus total REE differentiates the carbonatite-hosted from the alkali intrusive-hosted and carbonate-hosted deposits. Beyond the cooling and/or dilution of the fluids, REE and fluorite deposition was driven by changes in pH, instead of change in Eh, according to our geostatistical treatment. The chondrite-normalized rare earth element patterns of each group of deposits show some similar features, indicating that the REE in the fluorite are independent of their host 2 lithology, but reflect the magmatic systems from which they were derived. Overall, the FREE deposits of the Anatolides-Taurides in Turkey are considered to be largely related to the post-collisional magmatic systems, but with variable contributions of fluids from other sources.

Carbonatites and Alkaline Igneous Rocks in Post-Collisional Settings: Storehouses of Rare Earth Elements

“…Further east, Eocene to Oligocene alkaline magmatism was also common (Sokół et al, 2018). The most significant REE deposit formed at this time was the Oligocene alkaline-carbonatite Kizilcaören Deposit in Turkey (Öztürk et al, 2019;Nikiforov et al, 2014). In southern Turkey, postcollisional, ultrapotassic volcanism has occurred during the Pliocene and Quaternary (Prelević et al, 2012).…”

“…3a), comprises lenses of banded fluorite-barite-carbonate ore with economic potential for REE, Ba and fluorspar, and with bastnäsite as the main REE mineral. The Mineral Research and Exploration Institute of Turkey carried out a drilling campaign in the 1970s and stated a reserve of 4.67 Mt of REE (Ce+La+Nd+Y) with an average grade of 2.78 wt.% as well as fluorite and barite resources (Öztürk et al, 2019;Gültekin et al, 2003). These figures may not meet modern-day requirements of a reserve.…”

“…3a). Triassic to Jurassic deformed sedimentary and volcaniclastic rocks are the main constituents of the mélange complex (Öztürk et al, 2019;Gültekin et al, 2003). The Kizilcaören ore deposit is associated with alkaline porphyritic trachyte and phonolite, and carbonatite, emplaced along this reactivated thrust zone during the Oligocene (24-25 Ma) (Öztürk et al, 2019;Nikiforov et al, 2014;Gültekin et al, 2003;Hatzl, 1992;Stumpfl and Kirikoglu, 1985).…”

Hayri̇ye (Felahi̇ye-Kayseri̇) Flori̇tleri̇ni̇n Nadi̇r Toprak Element (Nte) Jeoki̇myasi

“…Öztürk vd. [5] bu yatakların çarpışma sonrası magmatizma ile ilişkili olarak geliştiğini ve cevher oluşturan akışkanların diğer kaynaklardan da beslendiğini belirtmiştir.…”

Geochemical, stable (O, C, and B) and radiogenic (Sr, Nd, Pb) isotopic data from the Eskişehir-Kızılcaören (NW-Anatolia) and the Malatya-Kuluncak (E-central Anatolia) F-REE-Th deposits, Turkey: implications for nature of carbonate-hosted mineralization

“…Given their unique chemical and physical characteristics, rare earth elements (REEs) are critical elements and vital components for dozens of high-tech industries including the production of solar panels, electric vehicles, computers, and smartphones (Goodenough et al, 2018). Although REE deposits occur in many geological settings and various rock types such as carbonatites, hydrothermal deposits, alkaline to peralkaline igneous rocks, weathered ion adsorption clay deposits, and heavy mineral placers (e.g., Chakhmouradian and Wall, 2012;Kynicky et al, 2012;Jaireth et al, 2014;Nikiforov et al, 2014;Goodenough et al, 2018;Öztürk et al, 2019a;Zheng and Lui, 2019), they are mainly mined from two mineral-deposit types in China (Verplank, 2017), which are carbonatite-related (e.g., Bayan Obo; Zhang et al, 2017;Chen et al, 2019) and ion adsorption clay deposits (e.g., Yang et al, 2013;Fu et al, 2019). Therefore, carbonatites are significant target rocks for REE exploration activities and are associated with unique chemical and mineralogical characteristics that include high concentrations of Nd and Sr (e.g., Bell and Simonetti, 2010), and >50 % of carbonate minerals (Wooley and Kempe, 1989).…”